=== I’ve got family in FL. The amount of other costs they have to endure- fees, regulations, or simply going through the private sector for services I get covered by the state- almost entirely offset whatever they save on taxes.===
Someone made the point the other day that people don’t want to live in Deerfield because of the taxes, which, no, that is literally exactly why they move to Deerfield. Sending your kids to a top college-prep high school for free because you pay high property taxes is a bargain compared to having to pay for a private college prep school. People move to Chicago’s North Shore because of the schools, which are funded by the high property taxes.
When I lived in the south, I was continually amazed how people would work so hard to dismantle local laws and services — there was basically no code enforcement where I lived — and then move into HOAs with outrageously high fees and send their kids to super-expensive private schools, because they didn’t want to live next to somebody with the car up on blocks in the yard and didn’t want to send their kids to underresourced schools, but somehow paying more to acquire those services privately was morally superior to just paying taxes?
This, of course, doesn’t apply to the impoverished areas of the south suburbs which have crushing property taxes, subpar schools and lousy services. That’s a whole other problem that absolutely must be addressed.
The DNC has signaled that it’s committed to keeping at least one of the early nominating contests in the Midwest, and Michigan’s video takes implicit shots against rivals Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois. (The committee has said it could also add a fifth early state, so two Midwestern states could be make it through the process.) […]
“Unlike other states, there’s no singularly dominant, hyper-expensive media market that holds back campaigns with fewer resources,” [former Detroit Pistons star Isiah Thomas] says in the ad.
That’s not true of Illinois, which is dominated by the expensive Chicago media market. […]
Unlike Michigan and Minnesota, Illinois isn’t a battleground state in the general election. But in addition to its racial diversity, Illinois can tout something its Midwestern rivals can’t: the ability to change to its primary date with relative ease.
Thomas also boasts that Michigan is “the most diverse battleground state in America” … Michigan isn’t the most diverse presidential battleground state based on racial diversity. But Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), who’s been leading Michigan’s push to move up the primary calendar, said she takes a broader view of diversity.
Dingell cited Michigan’s agricultural diversity — “We are the most diverse state in the country when it comes to crops,” she said in an interview
* We’ve been over this topic several times before, but this is a good read from Emily Hoerner at the Tribune…
The state’s wealthiest man, Citadel CEO Ken Griffin, is again exerting influence in a race for an Illinois Supreme Court seat during an election cycle that could give Republicans a high court edge.
Griffin has funneled $6.25 million to an independent expenditure committee that two years ago spent millions in a successful effort to unseat a Democratic high court justice by linking him unfavorably to former House Speaker Michael Madigan.
The committee this time around already has spent more than $200,000 in the Republican primary, and Griffin said in a statement that Illinois residents “deserve fair and objective judges rather than the hand-picked candidates of Mike Madigan.”
I didn’t realize Madigan was still picking candidates. Who knew?
As the primary races for Illinois’ 6th Congressional District seat approach the finish line, incumbent U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Downers Grove has been raising and spending far more than either of the other Democratic challengers for his job, federal documents show.
The latest finance reports were filed before Casten’s 17-year-old daughter, Gwen, died unexpectedly last week.
After that tragedy, Casten temporarily put his TV advertising on hold and withdrew from the public eye to mourn with his family. Casten’s campaign advertising has since resumed, spokesman Jacob Vurpillat said Monday, but he’s not yet making public appearances.
“(We’re) just taking it one day at a time right now,” Vurpillat said.
* Same district…
LCV Victory Fund and NRDC Action Votes announced a new digital ad buy backing Rep. Sean Casten in the IL-06 primary. Two new ads highlight NRDC Action Fund and LCV Action Fund’s endorsements of Rep. Casten in the closely watched primary and the Congressman’s support for clean energy solutions.
“Representative Casten is the definition of a Congressional climate champion,” said Joann Saridakis, LCV Victory Fund Campaigns Director. “The last year has made it clearer than ever that we need proven pro-environment leadership in Congress in order to pass the cost saving climate and clean energy legislation our country needs – and it’s imperative that Rep. Casten wins his primary and heads back to Washington for another term to do just that.”
“Representative Sean Casten understands the climate crisis – and understands what it will take to address it,” said Jocelyn Steinberg, director of NRDC Action Votes. “We need Representative Casten’s proven leadership in Congress to address this crucial issue and build a clean-energy future.”
The new ads will run on digital platforms including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, pre-roll video, and connected TV, in Illinois’ 6th Congressional District through the June 28 primary.
* I mean, if state legislator endorsements of statewide candidates worked really well, Richard Irvin would be cruising to victory right now. This appears to be an attempt to try and slow down Darren Bailey’s momentum…
Jesse Sullivan, the venture capitalist who’s come in third in most polls behind Darren Bailey and Richard Irvin, is seeing a surge in endorsements — including from a lawmaker who has outright switched from Irvin’s campaign to Sullivan.
The thinking is that Republicans who don’t see a path for Irvin also don’t see Bailey being able to defeat Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker in the general election. So they’re working their way down the list. […]
Does Sullivan, who also sits far right on the political spectrum, have enough time to surpass frontrunners Bailey and Irvin among primary voters? Or, does the surge in his support only take away from Bailey and give Irvin a boost? We’ll see in a week.
As I told subscribers this morning, there is zero hard evidence of a “surge” outside of a handful of new endorsements from legislators. But, hey, maybe they can move the needle a bit. We’ll see. There are people in the party who would like to hold Bailey under 50 percent.
* Getting really mean in the 43rd…
Rachel Ventura, State Senate candidate for the 43rd District has been actively and unapologetically campaigning with multiple known abusers. Counted among her campaign staff and endorsers, are admitted groper Joel Brown; DuPage Township Supervisor Gary Marschke, who resigned from the Illinois State Treasurer’s office after allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct; and Joliet Township Supervisor Angel Contreras, who was arrested this past weekend for an aggravated DUI and faced a criminal trial for domestic battery.
“Rachel Ventura only says what she thinks the person in front of her wants to hear,” said Eric Mattson. “But her real morals and values have never been more clear than when you see who she surrounds herself with: a cadre of abusers. The 43rd district doesn’t need a panderer, and we certainly don’t need someone who will lift up and support multiple men who have been accused and in some cases admitted to violating women.”
“Eric’s opponent started out her election aggressively attacking and then makes excuses for her actions when the facts are pointed out,” said Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, Will County Executive. “Eric Mattson is the firefighter who spent his days off providing vaccines for seniors, he’s a community leader who volunteers with local service organizations to make his community better, and he’s the neighbor and friend who is always there when you need a helping hand. If voters truly want change in Springfield, the choice is crystal clear. Eric Mattson has chosen a career in which he puts others people first, that is leadership.”
“I am disturbed and offended that a fellow woman seeking office in Springfield would publicly and unapologetically stand by men who have abused women in the workplace and who’ve been accused of domestic battery,” said Meg Loughran Cappel. “There is a new generation of leaders in Springfield that are passing ethics reforms and rehabilitating a longstanding culture of inappropriate and unprofessional behavior. Rachel Ventura has clearly demonstrated that women can’t count on her to be that kind of leader.”
Rachel Ventura has posted several photos (see attached) campaigning alongside Joel Brown on her Facebook page. He was also the lead petitioner on her failed attempt to challenge Eric Mattson’s petition signatures in the State Senate race.
Both Marschke and Contreras have endorsed Ventura.
* Press release…
Today, Kendall County Board Chairman, Scott R. Gryder, frontrunner for nomination of the Republican Party to challenge Lauren Underwood for Illinois’ 14th Congressional District released his closing message to voters as they prepare to head to the polls on June 28.
Gryder’s ad, titled, “We’ve Paid Enough,” is an encapsulation of the hardships working families face daily while in the grip of the Biden-Underwood economy.
As Cook County GOP chairman and one of only two Republicans on the 17-member county board, Sean Morrison is a frequent and vocal critic of the ruling Democrats.
He often points to violent crime in Chicago and has questioned the costs of providing security details to Mayor Lori Lightfoot and county board President Toni Preckwinkle.
But Morrison also has benefited for years -– starting soon after he became a county commissioner — from “special attention” given to his home by police in south suburban Palos Park.
Records obtained by WBEZ show police in Morrison’s hometown have patrolled his house 415 times since he took office less than seven years ago.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot pitched top Democratic National Committee officials on Friday about Chicago’s bid to host the 2024 Democratic convention, bringing boxes of Chicago goodies and - in a show of how serious this bid is - themselves.
In separate presentations, the DNC officials - including DNC Chair Jamie Harrison, who attended via video, and new DNC senior adviser Cedric Richmond, a former top official in the Biden White House - Chicago, New York, Houston and Atlanta representatives made their cases to host the 2024 convention.
* More…
* Secretary of state hopefuls on jaywalking, rolling stops for cyclists and driver exams: “Provided there is no other traffic present, I support the ability of cyclists to roll stop signs,” Giannoulias said. “However, when traffic is present, that practice can result in more accidents, and I would only support the rule when no other traffic is present.” And because “enforcement often falls on the backs of the people that can least afford to be penalized for violating these ordinances … I would support changes to this law to significantly reduce or eliminate the fines.”
* State Rep candidate campaign signs vandalized in Normal: “Probably the motive would have been somebody saying they view me as a threat, so they go out there and put an X on my name on all my signs, trying to tell people in a way don’t for Jim, don’t vote for Mr. Fisher,” Fisher said.
Should the courts side with the state and force gas stations to post signs about the temporary gas tax relief approved in April, Josh Sharp, CEO of the IL Fuel and Retail Association, says the industry will make sure drivers know the whole truth about gas taxes in Illinois.
“We will follow the law and post the signs if the courts require us to do so,” Sharp said. “But we are going to make sure our customers understand the whole story about our state’s gas tax not just the part some of the lawmakers in Springfield want to talk about.”
The Legislature is mandating fuel retailers to post signs at their own expense to tell people about the six-month suspension of the CPI tax increase scheduled for July 1st of this year. The Illinois Fuel and Retail Association is challenging the posting requirement in court.
IFRA’s lawsuit complaint reads in part: “This specific amendment to the Motor Fuel Tax Law requires Plaintiffs and other retailers to choose between making a political statement they do not wish to make to their customers or the general public on behalf of the State of Illinois or facing criminal penalties. SB 157 violates Plaintiffs’ Free Speech rights as protected by Article 1, Section 4 of the Illinois Constitution, and the First Amendment to the United States Constitution by compelling political speech.”
If the courts ultimately rule in favor of the state, IFRA will provide member gas stations with signs to post. The proposed sign the Illinois Fuel and Retail Association will display reminds motorists that “Illinois politicians have more than doubled the gas tax since 2019.” It also states lawmakers “have decided to delay their tax hike until after the election,” and informs the public the signs have to be posted to avoid a $500 per day fine. The signage tells drivers the truth about Illinois gas taxes – and directs them to use the Illinois Policy Institute’s gas tax calculator to see the true cost of taxes at the pump.
“Lawmakers want us to tell the public an edited version of the history of the gas tax in Illinois,” Sharp said. “If they insist on us posting signs and the courts agree requiring private businesses to post these notices at their expense is Constitutional, we will comply, but we are going to tell the whole truth about gas taxes in Illinois. Here is the truth; delaying a tax increase does not equal a tax cut, and there are now TWO gas tax increases scheduled for 2023.”
A federal judge has sentenced former state Sen. Thomas Cullerton to a year in prison in the $248,000 embezzlement case involving the Teamsters labor union that ended Cullerton’s career in Springfield.
U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman said, “It gives me no pleasure, Mr. Cullerton, to take you away from your family.” But prosecutors argued Tuesday that Cullerton thought his elected office entitled him to a do-nothing Teamsters job, and the judge said he took that breach of trust seriously.
He told Cullerton that, “We’ve had far too many public officials appear in this court as felons.”
“Every time you took that paycheck from the Teamsters without working for it, you knew that you were doing something wrong,” Gettleman said while handing down the sentence. […]
In making their recommendation, [prosecutors] revealed that former Chicago Teamsters boss John T. Coli told them Cullerton was hired for his Teamsters job as a favor to a senator only identified in court records as “Senator A.”
Before the sentence was handed down, Cullerton apologized to the court, his family, his constituents and his former colleagues at the Teamsters.
“I’m not going to say I didn’t take advantage of the situation, I did,” Cullerton said, reading from written remarks and pausing at times to clear his throat and sniff back tears. “I can’t take back what I did, nor can I apologize enough.”
Cullerton, 52, a Democrat from Villa Park, pleaded guilty to embezzlement in March, two weeks after abruptly resigning from office. Prosecutors have asked for a sentence of up to 18 months in prison, while his attorneys requested a period of probation. […]
In asking Gettleman to sentence Cullerton to up to a year and a half in prison, prosecutors said in a court filing earlier this month that former Teamsters boss John Coli Sr. told investigators he’d hired Cullerton to his do-nothing position “as a favor to Senator A, at Senator A’s request.”
If the landmark abortion rights case Roe v. Wade is struck down this summer, Illinois won’t only become a so-called “oasis” for women across the Midwest looking to terminate pregnancies. It’s also likely to serve as a massive training ground for early-career OB-GYNs who must learn to perform abortions.
Hospitals or clinics that offer residency programs in obstetrics and gynecology are required to provide physicians with direct procedural training in abortion—or “access” to abortion training if the institution itself has moral or religious objections. That standard, established by the national accrediting agency for graduate medical education, isn’t expected to change, even as the U.S. Supreme Court moves closer to overturning the federal right to abortion.
But with as many as 26 states poised to ban or severely limit abortion after Roe falls, scores of OB-GYN residency programs around the country will have to secure training elsewhere. As a result, programs in states like Illinois, where abortion access remains protected, are already seeing a surge in training requests from outside institutions. Programs here will be especially burdened because Illinois is the only state in the region that guarantees the right to elective abortions, making it a logical choice for neighboring programs to send their residents. […]
A recent analysis published in the Obstetrics & Gynecology medical journal estimates that 43.9% of all OB-GYN residents train in states where abortion access will change—about 2,300 in states that have trigger laws or bans that predate Roe and 332 in states expected to enact new restrictions.
Anticipating a U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade within the next week, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin isn’t scheduling abortions after June 25.
Overturning Roe could activate Wisconsin’s near-complete abortion ban, first passed in 1849, although Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin’s legal advocacy director in May said the organization doesn’t think the statute would spring back to life. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers called for the Republican Legislature to convene Wednesday to repeal that ban — a demand the Legislature will almost certainly reject. […]
Dan Lennington, deputy counsel at the conservative legal group Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, said he thinks the law would activate immediately. He also pointed out Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin’s decision to shut down ahead of the ruling shows “they understand the risk of prosecution.”
Last week, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that the state’s constitution does not include a “fundamental right” to abortion. The court’s decision came in a challenge to a 2020 law requiring a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion. Though it’s unclear if Friday’s decision means the law signed by Governor Kim Reynolds will take effect.
Providers like Planned Parenthood implemented a 24-hour waiting period for abortions following an Iowa Supreme Court decision on the law Friday, despite no confirmation of the law’s immediate enforcement.
Kentucky’s Republican attorney general went to court Tuesday claiming the Democratic governor’s administration missed a deadline to set up a regulatory process for a sweeping new abortion law currently blocked by a federal court order. In a maneuver loaded with political and legal implications, Attorney General Daniel Cameron said in his lawsuit against Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s administration that state officials are still obligated to craft regulations and create forms associated with the new law’s restrictions, even though a federal judge temporarily halted its enforcement while the case is litigated. Cameron, who has filed paperwork to run for governor himself next year, said that order didn’t relieve the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services from fulfilling its “statutory responsibilities
There are seven state-approved abortion centers, most of which are in the northern half of the state. And state law requires two separate visits for an abortion – one for paperwork, and one for the actual procedure.
“So that’s twice that people have to line up childcare for the children, they have time off work, (find) transportation,” Marchbank said. “A lot of things that I think a lot of people with privilege just take for granted.”
Furthering restrictions or outright banning abortion would achieve a longtime goal for the Indiana GOP, which has been steadily increasing abortion regulations in the past decade. In 2011, Senate Republicans introduced SB 290, which would have outlawed abortion except to protect the life of the mother. The bill never got off the ground.
Even before the Supreme Court draft leaked in May, 110 Republican legislators sent a letter to fellow Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb, asking him to call the General Assembly into a special session if Roe were to be overturned.
Although Roe v. Wade remains the law of the land, women can no longer get a legal abortion in two states, Oklahoma and South Dakota. In at least one other, Missouri, the only clinic is booked and not accepting new appointments.
ROLLA, Mo. — For more than half a century, Tri-Rivers Family Planning has operated on a shoestring budget, providing contraceptives, pregnancy testing, treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and other reproductive health care to a mostly low-income and female clientele in the Ozark Mountains.
The clinic has never performed abortions. But with the Supreme Court widely expected to revoke the constitutional right to abortion that it established in Roe v. Wade, its work has never been more essential — and its nurse practitioners and patients have never felt more threatened.
Last year, the Republican-led Missouri Senate voted to ban taxpayer funding for two common methods of preventing pregnancy: intrauterine devices and emergency contraception — the so-called morning-after pill, also known as Plan B — which many abortion opponents regard as “abortifacients” because they can prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in a woman’s uterus. Lawmakers later abandoned the effort, but some have indicated that if Roe falls, they may try again.
“The attacks are relentless — any little angle they can chip away at what we do, they are doing it,” said Lisa Ecsi Davis, the clinic’s director of operations, who has worked at Tri-Rivers for 30 years. “It’s exhausting.”
The demise of Roe would make the need for effective birth control more urgent than ever. Yet nearly six decades after the Supreme Court guaranteed the right to use contraception, and more than 10 years after the Affordable Care Act mandated that private insurers cover it, many American women still have a hard time getting access.
The potential overturn of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court could have ramifications wider than just banning abortion in much of the United States. In a post-Roe world, in vitro fertilization (IVF)—the fertility treatment used by millions of Americans every year—could be in danger. […]
Would this be considered homicide in a state that has banned abortions under any circumstances? The answer to this question is unclear.
There’s uncertainty around how IVF is legally defined, and whether each state considers a fertilized egg as a human being with rights or not. Many of the 13 states with trigger laws that would immediately ban abortion rights once Roe is overturned—Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming and Texas—define life as beginning at “the moment of fertilization.”
Fearing the U.S. Supreme Court will soon overturn Roe v. Wade, California Democrats on Tuesday moved quickly to ensure the state’s progressive voters have a chance this fall to make abortion a constitutional right in the nation’s most populous state.
A proposed amendment to the California Constitution that would explicitly ban the state from denying or interfering with abortions or contraceptives cleared two legislative committees in a single day on Tuesday, an unusually fast pace for a Legislature that many times takes two years to move a bill through its arduous process.
Miller Surging in IL-15; Davis’ Image Tumbles
DATE: Tuesday, June 21, 2022
TO: Interested parties
FROM: Brent Buchanan, President/Founder & Wil Lemon, Research Analyst
RE: Miller has the momentum and surges to lead over Davis in Illinois-15
“Mary Miller has the clear advantage in this race. Her surge – despite being outspent and having outrageous attacks thrown at her – shows her strength. Davis’ attempts to smear Miller have backfired as she’s not only created a ballot lead but also leads Davis in image intensity and intensity on the ballot.
– Brent Buchanan, Pollster/Founder
• Miller now leads Davis 45% to 40% with 15% undecided.
• The race was tied at 41% apiece in the first week of June. The race has gone from even to +5 for Miller in less than two weeks.
• Miller leads Davis +31 with Trump Republicans, and high-propensity voters are shifting to Miller.
• Conclusion: Miller’s ballot momentum is likely growing and will be capped off when President
Trump holds a Save America rally in the district to remind voters of the stakes next Tuesday.
The Cygnal n420 poll in Illinois Congressional District 15 was conducted June 18-19, 2022, with a margin of error of ±4.77%.
Cygnal is an award-winning national public opinion and predictive analytics firm that pioneered multi-mode polling, peer-to-peer text collection, and Political Emotive Analysis. Cygnal is named the #1 Republican private pollster by Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight two cycles running, as well as the #1 most accurate polling and research firm in the country for 2018 by The New York Times. Its team members have worked in 48 states and 17 countries on more than 2,100 corporate, public affairs, and political campaigns. Cygnal conducted all of Donald J. Trump’s polling from Labor Day through Election Day in 2020. The firm is working in nearly every one of the nation’s most competitive races.
* Meanwhile, this advisory is from Sunday evening…
Good evening –
Tomorrow morning in Springfield, Congressman Rodney Davis (R-IL) will be announcing a major endorsement of his campaign. As the only candidate in this race willing to answer questions, Congressman Davis will make the announcement during a media availability after a roundtable event with local leaders. Due to the House being in session this week, this may likely be Congressman Davis’ last media availability in the Springfield-area before June 28. Media are invited to attend, and details can be found below.
WHO: Congressman Rodney Davis, local leaders
WHAT: Congressman Davis announces endorsement, holds media availability
WHERE: Mel-O-Cream, 5456 International Pkwy, Springfield, IL 62711
WHEN: 11:00am CT (media may arrive earlier to set up)
Davis this week won the endorsements of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Illinois Chamber of Commerce. On Monday, Davis huddled with business leaders at the Mel-O-Cream Donuts International in Springfield, the state capital. Davis fielded questions on his record and the economy before meeting with heads of businesses and chamber officials at Knapheide Manufacturing Company, where he was endorsed by both entities and given an Advocate for American Business Award.
Davis touted his work on policies related to incentivizing employers to pay off employees’ student debt, his role in helping craft the 2017 tax law House and Senate Republicans enacted with then-President Donald Trump, and campaign efforts to get fellow GOP lawmakers elected. Davis added that his focus isn’t on doing TV hits and feels his record of finding bipartisan solutions is an asset to the district, dismissing his opponent’s attacks that he is a “RINO” (Republican in name only).
“That’s not going to be me,” he said regarding the TV hits. “You’ll see me fight, I enjoy the fight, I don’t have to tell you that. But in the end, that’s not my job, and Washington, D.C., should not be the only level of government that we don’t expect to function.”
Illinois Chamber CEO Todd Maisch told the Washington Examiner that while he agrees with much of Miller’s voting record, he believes Davis’s legislative accomplishments warranted the endorsement.
“Another huge win for the business community was the USMCA deal in the last administration and another key architected key champion on that legislation,” Eidshaug said. “We’ve also needed key champions to stop bad things from happening in Washington too. Stopping bad tax and spending policies on the Pelosi Schumer Build Back Better bill. Congressman Davis was there with us then too.”
[Rodney Davis] took questions from the press for half an hour, and at one point said he could go half an hour longer to defend his colleague Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-TX) from accusations that he led Capitol rioters on a “reconnaissance tour” through the halls and security checkpoints on the Capitol grounds the day before January 6th.
“That accusation needed to be proven false,” Davis said, explaining why he wrote a letter to U.S. Capitol Police. “I sent my team over to view Capitol Police footage and we showed no member of the Republican conference took anyone on a so-called ‘reconnaissance tour’ into the Capitol.”
Davis contends Loudermilk’s group only toured an office building, and never entered the U.S. Capitol on January 5 or on the 6th.
Organize Illinois 2022, the coordinated campaign for Illinois Democrats, announced the Democratic Party of Illinois filed a motion late Friday night to intervene in a lawsuit brought by a right-wing organization attempting to disenfranchise Illinois voters. The suit, filed by Judicial Watch along with U.S. Congressman Mike Bost and others, would prohibit counting any mail ballots received after Election Day, even if those ballots were postmarked and received in accordance with state law.
“The right to vote is sacred and must be protected,” said Organize Illinois 2022 Chair and Secretary of State Jesse White. “This lawsuit is a frivolous attempt to restrict access to the ballot box. Illinois state law is clear: as long as mail ballots are postmarked by Election Day and received up to 14 days after Election Day, they should be counted. This long standing practice is shared by many other states in accordance with federal law. Our hope is that this lawsuit is dismissed promptly and Illinois can continue as a leader in ballot access.”
The suit (Rep. Michael J. Bost, Laura Pollastrini, and Susan Sweeney v. The Illinois State Board of Elections and Bernadette Matthews (No. 1:22-cv-02754)) was filed by the dark money organization Judicial Watch, which has filed numerous similar lawsuits around the country to restrict electoral access and aid Republican candidates and causes. The motion to intervene, filed by the Democratic Party of Illinois, argues the extended ballot receipt deadline is in accordance with federal law and without it, the millions of Illinois voters who cast timely ballots by mail risk disenfranchisement.
Illinois state law allows election authorities to count mail ballots as long as those ballots are postmarked by Election Day and received up to 14 days after Election Day. Currently, 17 other states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands have extended ballot receipt deadlines. This is not the first time that litigants have attempted this type of claim. In 2020, several courts considered nearly identical challenges to post-election day ballot receipt deadlines around the country, and all failed.
The lawsuit will not impact vote-by-mail for the June 28 primary. To read to motion to intervene, click HERE.
I think you’re going to see the coordinated committee taking a much more active role in state party functions.
What the Washington media has dubbed “a secret PAC backed by a crypto billionaire” has suddenly swooped into Illinois, dropping half a million dollars into what has been a wild and unpredictable race to succeed the retiring Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Chicago, in Congress.
Spending the money on TV ads promoting candidate Jonathan Jackson is the Protect Our Future Political Action Fund, a little-known Arizona-based group that also has heavily spent in other Democratic races around the country. […]
The website says Jackson wants to improve regulation of the emerging industry and believes steps must be taken to ensure minorities get a chance to participate. It adds that he supports a pending bill that would do that, sponsored by Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who has endorsed Jackson. […]
Among unanswered questions about the flap is who made the connection between Jackson and Protect Our Future. One possible link is Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, D-Chicago. He failed to respond to requests for comment, but the PAC reportedly has spent $150,000 on mail pieces promoting him this election year, even though he’s unopposed in the Democratic primary.
The Protect Our Future’s cash play comes as Jackson took an interest in the federal-regulated digital asset industry. He is closely connected to the chair of the House Financial Services Committee, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.
[Samuel Bankman-Fried, CEO of FTX] is the main donor to Protect Our Future. He seems to have flouted federal rules about independent expenditure efforts having no contacts with campaigns they are trying to help. […]
Jackson also has not, as of Sunday, filed a required personal finance disclosure, so voters have no idea about Jackson’s income sources.
Ironically, as Jackson’s candidacy is getting a billionaire’s boost, Sen. Bernie Sanders — who is endorsing Jackson — deplored the power of billionaires at a Saturday rally at the Humboldt Park Boathouse on the Northwest Side. Sanders was on a stage with Jackson and Garcia, who he is close to, and state Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Chicago, who Sanders is also backing.
* Gee, I wonder what he might be hiding by not filing his disclosure forms?…
Democratic House primary candidate Jonathan Jackson was blasted by his leading 1st Congressional District rivals on Monday for not filing his legally required personal financial disclosures as they deplored the $500,065 being spent by a crypto billionaire’s PAC to elect him. […]
Polling shared with the Chicago Sun-Times shows that voters have no particular interest in a rather unknown generically named “Jonathan Jackson.” Once they learn who his father is, Jackson’s numbers jump. […]
After being blasted by his rivals Monday, Jackson told the Sun-Times, “I apologize that filing my personal financial disclosure statement has taken this long. It will be filed tomorrow.”
Jackson is close to House Financial Services Committee Chair Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., who has known him since he was a kid. Bankman-Fried’s PAC also paid $151,420 for direct mail pieces to boost Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, D-Ill., who does not have a Democratic primary opponent — but is a member of the Financial Services Committee.
Billionaire Michael Bloomberg completely upended the 2013 special congressional primary by spending heavily on behalf of Robin Kelly, the eventual winner. Jackson may be hoping to follow suit here.
Bankman-Fried’s PAC is also spending about a quarter mil on behalf of Democrat Nikki Budzinski in CD13. His company, FTX, made a Super Bowl ad with Larry David.
In a 4-3 decision with a blistering dissent from the Republican minority, the Illinois Supreme Court declined to rule on a question of whether Illinois Firearm Owners Identification Act is unconstitutional.
It was the second time the case of the People v. Vivian Brown came before the court and the second time the court declined to rule on the constitutionality of the state statute requiring Illinoisans to receive a permit to legally own a gun.
The majority opinion released Thursday was written by Chief Justice Anne M. Burke and was procedural in nature. It contended that the White County Circuit Court failed to adhere to the Supreme Court’s previous 2020 ruling in the case, so it once again vacated the lower court’s ruling that the FOID Act was unconstitutional.
Burke was joined in the majority by Democrats Mary Jane Theis, P. Scott Neville Jr. and Robert Carter.
Justice Michael Burke – who is not related to the chief justice – wrote the dissent, making up 11 of the 21 pages in the Thursday order.
Illinois Gov J.B. Pritzker on Saturday did nothing to quell speculation over a possible run for president as he delivered a self-effacing speech before New Hampshire Democrats — making light of his weight and wealth — and worked to introduce himself as a leader with his “heart on his sleeve” who is willing to fight for the party.
With rampant buzz about Pritzker’s political ambitions — coupled with the fundraising power he brings as a billionaire — the Democratic governor’s latest push for Chicago to host the Democratic National Convention is another sign there’s a trial balloon out there to see if Democrats view the governor of Illinois as a presidential contender. […]
“My friends thought I was crazy to run for governor. They told me state government couldn’t be repaired. And anyway, who would vote for someone like me? Look, I’m a Ukrainian American,” Pritzker said to applause. “I haven’t finished the list yet, and it gets worse from here. A Ukrainian American Jewish Democratic billionaire businessman. That’s not exactly the archetype that the party was looking for to run for governor. That’s okay with me. I know who I am and where I come from.” […]
He painted the national GOP as the party of fear, afraid of everything from workers’ rights, student debt forgiveness — and making high income earners, like himself, pay the highest tax rates.
Pritzker also made his feelings about former President Donald Trump known, reminding the audience that he has loudly called him a “racist, misogynistic, homophobic, xenophobic president” since his stump speeches in 2018.
The 150 delegates at the Manchester Memorial High School auditorium ate it up, offering a standing ovation.
By the end of his speech, Pritzker had won over a cadre of Belknap County delegates who enthusiastically told a POLITICO reporter that they’d like to see him run for higher office.
“I think he should be our next president,” Johnna Davis, co-chair of the Belknap County Democrats, said as a couple other delegates seated in her row nodded along. “He’s got great energy. He’s perfect.”
Whew. Piling it on thick.
Belknap County’s population is 63,705, a bit larger than a Chicago ward.
* And the schtick continued with Mike Pence’s Chicago visit…
Former Vice President Mike Pence on Monday offered President Joe Biden and Democrats warning shots during a Chicago speech widely seen as part of a test of the waters for a 2024 presidential run. […]
Gov. J.B. Pritzker did not exactly roll out the welcome mat for the former Midwestern governor.
“Mike Pence is a dangerous, homophobic extremist,” the Democratic governor tweeted.
“He represents a party that for decades has sought to take us backward and strip fundamental rights from millions of Americans,” Pritzker tweeted, just two days after giving a speech in New Hampshire that many saw as a trial balloon for his own presidential ambitions. “Today’s GOP has no vision for the future — their only goal is to divide us.”
“We’re not the party of Trump,” Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie told an interviewer a couple of months ago. “I’m in the Republican Party and the party of Lincoln. And at the end of the day, the important thing is that we’re standing up for ideas and ideals and not a personality. And that is what the Republican Party has been about for decades, and what I believe we’re going to be going forward.”
At least as far as the Illinois governor’s race goes, that now seems less likely.
As you undoubtedly know by now, state Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) did not appear to be gaining traction until the GOP primary battlefield was reshaped as a referendum on former President Donald Trump by big money pumped in from billionaire Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Republican billionaire Dick Uihlein.
The question now is whether that Trump referendum will move down the ballot. Two polls showed a very tight Republican attorney general primary with huge numbers of people who can’t decide between Ken Griffin-backed Steve Kim and outlandish, far-right COVID attorney Tom DeVore, who has been endorsed by Bailey. And Trump and Bailey have both endorsed U.S. Rep. Mary Miller over fellow Republican U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis.
And what about the state legislature?
While the House Republican Organization is formally staying out of the race in the open 87th District primary, House GOP Leader Jim Durkin has contributed $5,000 to candidate Mary Burress.
And a committee controlled by Durkin ally Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Morrisonville) has maxed out to Burress with a $59,900 contribution. Burress, the Tazewell County treasurer, is running against Tazewell County Board member and physician William Hauter.
The reason I mention this is that Burress is one of the only House Republican candidates I can find who is openly touting her support for former President Trump. “Mary Burress is the pro-Trump Republican working to make Illinois great again,” declares a headline on one mailer, which also features a photo of her next to the former POTUS.
With Bailey surging and a recent Chicago Sun-Times poll showing Trump still very popular with party members, it would seem to be a no-brainer for conservative Republican candidates to publicly attach themselves to one or the other or both in their advertising and social media posts.
Bailey has decided to take the initiative. And there are some unifying threads here: Durkin and the 2019 gas tax hike that Durkin eventually supported.
“We’ve got a whole list of anti-establishment reformers who we’re going to be endorsing in the next 24 hours,” a top Bailey official told me late last week.
Included on the list is Sen. Win Stoller (R-East Peoria). Stoller is up against Brett Nicklaus, who is backed by Durkin and others close to him.
There’s no love at all between Bailey and Durkin. The two clashed often when Bailey was in the House, and Durkin fully backed Richard Irvin. Both Durkin and Irvin’s running mate Rep. Avery Bourne voted to double the motor fuel tax in 2019, something Bailey often pounds home on the campaign trail as the price of gas has skyrocketed.
Bailey doesn’t seem to have any ideas about how to repair and upgrade our woefully dilapidated infrastructure without that money, but nobody seems to care.
Bailey also endorsed Republican Don Debolt over Sen. Steve McClure (R-Springfield), who voted for the gas tax increase as well. And Bailey’s backing former GOP Rep. John Cabello in his race against a candidate backed by a trade union that pushed hard to raise the gas tax. Cabello voted “no.”
Kent Gray is running against Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield), who voted with his party leadership on the gas tax. Gray has not raised a lot of money, has a thick opposition research file, and Butler hasn’t taken any chances by spending big and campaigning hard. If Bailey’s coattails can drag Gray across the line … whew.
Bailey’s also supporting Travis Weaver against Rep. Mark Luft (R-Pekin), who wasn’t around for the gas tax vote but is backed heavily by Durkin and some unions. And he’s supporting Rep. Dave Welter’s opponent Jed Davis. Welter (R-Morris) is in House Republican leadership, so you already know where he was in 2019.
That was one tough vote in 2019. It took guts to take it, and I still think, despite the prices, it was the right thing to do for the state’s future. We’ll see if Bailey tries to connect those tax dots in voters’ minds or whether, as time expires, he’ll just try to win these races with his personality alone.
Subscribers know more.
* Press release…
State Senator and gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey says Don Debolt is the only candidate for Senate in the 54th District Republican voters can trust to represent their values in Springfield.
“I fully support and endorse Don Debolt for State Senator,” Bailey said. “Don’s a true conservative, a businessman, and someone who will help reform Springfield and restore Illinois. Unfortunately, Don’s opponent betrayed taxpayers and voted to double the gas tax. We need to send principled reformers to Springfield who won’t join Democrats to raise taxes, and I hope voters will join me in supporting conservative Don Debolt for State Senate.”
The current average fuel price in Illinois is $5.53 per gallon nearly $1 higher than the prices in Missouri which are $4.67 per gallon.
“The reality is working families are paying far more in gas prices in Illinois than motorists in surrounding states because of the state’s high taxes,” Debolt said. “My opponent helped make that happen by surrendering his conservative values to help Democrats make Illinois’ gas taxes the second highest in the country. Voters can count on me to consistently represent the values we share as their voice in Springfield.”
Don Debolt’s life is centered around faith and family. He is a proud conservative Republican, a small business owner, and a C.P.A. for over 45 years. Don is running for State Senate because he is concerned with the future of southern Illinois. Springfield is broken, and high taxes and extreme policies push our children and grandchildren out of state. Don and his wife Linda live in Stewardson; they have been blessed with two sons and five grandchildren. The primary election is June 28th.
* You gotta wonder if Gov. Pritzker will also downplay this as just “office personnel.” /s…
Battle Creek-based Kellogg Co. plans to split itself into three separate companies, with the headquarters of the largest company in Chicago. […]
The cereal and plant-based businesses would remain headquartered in Battle Creek, the company said. The global snacks business would maintain campuses in Battle Creek and Chicago, with Chicago being its corporate headquarters.
Kellogg Chairman and CEO Steve Cahillane will remain chairman and CEO of Global Snacking Co. Names and management teams for the other new companies will be announced later, the company said. […]
Kellogg executives have made some recent high-profile home purchases in the Chicago area, including the $5.62 million purchase of a five-bedroom mansion by Cahillane in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, Crain’s Chicago Business reported. Chief Growth Officer Monica McGurk bought a house in suburban Winnetka for $2.05 million.
Anyway, your thoughts?
…Adding… Wondering what the departing Cat execs think of this…
President Biden is the “acting” president because he didn’t win legally; Texans should vote on seceding; the Voting Rights Act of 1965 should be repealed; any gun control is a rights violation: this is the world as seen by the Republican Party of Texas, according to its newly adopted party platform.
“We can’t compromise with Democrats who have a different and incompatible vision for our future,” Matt Rinaldi, the state GOP chairman, said, according to The Texas Newsroom. “We need to be a bold and unapologetic conservative party, ready to go on offense and win the fight for our country.”
The Republicans’ 2022 platform is outlined in a 40-page document that addresses state issues but also much broader priorities — such as calling for the U.S. to leave the United Nations. Delegates approved it over the weekend, at the party’s convention in Houston.
Here’s my dad way back in the day with his brother Denny…
Dad’s the one on the left. Sharp. I’m named after him, but I was never quite as cool as he was in those days.
* My dad has this kind of annoying habit of falling in love with a song so much that he will listen to it all day and all night for weeks on end. At one point, a brother of mine made Dad a 90-minute cassette tape with just this one particular song playing over and over and over and over again. You did not want to be in Dad’s car when that tape was playing and I have avoided it ever since (the song, not the car). But it’s always been a funny story to tell and I decided to listen to it again today for the heck of it. This one’s for you, Daddy-O…
* As you are well aware, Gov. Pritzker has been taking massive heat from Republicans and even some Democrats and the news media over his appointments to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board and what that PRB has done about prisoner releases. But he seems undeterred. From an appointments press release…
Carmen Terrones will serve as a Member of the Prisoner Review Board. Terrones is currently an Independent Consultant at Connecting Communities where she works to increase the potential of underserved communities by fostering empowerment and exposure to restorative justice principles and practices. Prior to this, Terrones served as a Senior Associate at Haywood Burns Institute in California, working primarily with their Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative Portfolio. Her work for the justice system began in Illinois as Terrones worked for both and the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice and the Cook County Juvenile Probation Department in several different capacities. Terrones serves her community as a board member for Restorative Justice Hubs, Corazón Community Services, Centrally Human, TecHive, the Institute on Public Safety and Social Justice- Adler University, and The Annie E. Casey Foundation Applied Leadership Network. She began her formal education in the field at Western Illinois University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Law Enforcement and continued on at Walden University in Minneapolis, where she earned a master’s of psychology.
That’s quite an impressive resume, but we’ll see what the Senate does.
* And they buried this person’s McLean County Board position in the release…
Matthew Coates will serve as a Member of the Prisoner Review Board. Coates recently begun his role as the Director of Communications at Bloomington Public School District 87. In this role, he develops and maintains informational communication in support of the district’s programs. Prior to this position, he was a Restorative School Specialist at Project Oz, a Clinical Coordinator of Youth Services, and a Comprehensive Community based Crisis Counselor at the Children’s Home Association of Illinois. Coates is currently a member on several boards including: Project Oz, McLean County, Illinois Collaboration of Youth Policy Committee, and Breaking Chains Advancing Increase School of Arts. In 2021, he earned a certificate in Leadership with Mclean County Chamber of Commerce and is a graduate of Peoria County Citizen’s Leadership Academy. His robust educational experience began at Illinois Central College where he earned an associate degree in Liberal Arts & Sciences in 2008. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Science Degree in Communication at Illinois State University, graduating in 2011. Coates graduated top of his class at Bradley University, earning a master’s degree in Leadership in Nonprofit organizations.
He was a restorative school specialist for Project Oz between August 2018 and February, where he served as a “social-emotional support coach” for students and faculty at Bloomington High School through Project Oz’s Youth Empowered Schools program, according to his resume.
In his roughly five-minute pitch to executive committee members, Coates referred to his time assisting neighbors while growing up in Peoria, such as shoveling snow or playing with and helping neighborhood kids.
“Since I was a child, my upbringing consisted of watching my parent help people,” Coates said. “In various different ways, we were a pretty tight-knit community in my neighborhood growing up and that’s something that’s just — ‘That apple doesn’t usually fall too far (from the tree).’”
* As I told you late yesterday, Gov. Pritzker kicked in his second $500K installment to the Democratic Party of Illinois. And now this…
Hope they list that as an in-kind to Paul. /s
Also, it occurred to me that I haven’t done any “Shenanigans!” blog posts this cycle because every day brings at least one. Shenanigans is now our default mode, I suppose.
* Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) reported receiving $61K in campaign contributions on the same day her opponent was endorsed by the Tribune. Her primary opponent hasn’t reported any contributions in the last month and a half. Villanueva should renew her subscription.
* The other day, I had you rate a broadcast TV ad from Rep. Mike Zalewski (D-Riverside) that tried to tie his opponent to Mike Madigan. This is a new rebuttal cable TV from Zalewski’s opponent Abdelnasser Rashid…
Mike Zalewski was a lobbyist for ComEd. Then Mike Madigan appointed him state representative and Zalewski voted to raise utility rates to record levels. This year? Zalewski introduced a law to raise the gas tax while we suffer at the pump. We can’t afford Mike Zalewski.
The corrupt Madigan Zalewski machine will say or do anything to win. Zalewski lies about Rashid having a Republican donor. The donor is actually a Democrat who gave to President Obama, Senator Durbin and Congressman Garcia. You just can’t trust Mike Zalewski.
A whole lot coming at you in that spot.
* As subscribers know, the Senate Democrats have funneled a ton of cash and other advantages to newly appointed Sen. Eric Mattson (D-Joliet) in his primary race against progressive Democrat Rachel Ventura…
Today, Democratic Candidate for State Senate Eric Mattson announced the endorsement of U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).
“Eric Mattson is prepared to be a voice for the people in Springfield,” said Senator Duckworth. “As a career firefighter, he’s served his community as a first responder, volunteer and union leader. Throughout the pandemic his leadership and dedication helped the members of his community get vaccinated, protecting themselves and others. Mattson is the public servant the people of the 43rd District deserve in Springfield.”
“I am grateful to have the support of Senator Duckworth,” said State Senator Eric Mattson. “As a veteran firefighter of 26 years, and am honored by the Senator’s service and sacrifice for this country, and I look forward to working with her to bring jobs and opportunities to the 43rd.”
* Remember this Greg Hinz piece about attorney general candidate Steve Kim’s ties to the Saudi Kingdom?…
In a phone interview, Kim said the sole function of Global Business Ventures was to link American firms to good international investments. Beyond that, he said he never received “any compensation” from the Saudi government, and that he left Global Business Ventures awhile ago—“maybe a year or two; I don’t remember”—and gave up his “very small” equity interest for free.
A spokesman later added that Kim’s major opponent in the June 28 Republican primary, downstate attorney Thomas DeVore, has not displayed the temperament voters should expect in an attorney general.
Steve Kim says he thinks I don’t have the temperament for the Attorney General office. It that the best he’s got. Lol!! It seems he believes fighting directly and indirectly to protect the rights of millions of kids, tens of thousands of small businesses and tens of thousands of public employees gives me a bad temperament. It seems he thinks spending thousands of hours over two years educating and empowering everyday citizens gives me a bad temperament. He’s right I have a street fighter temperament as that’s what it takes to fend off the tyranny of Pritzker and his minions. Mr. Kim is the same old, same old type of establishment politician that has already been rebuked by the people of Illinois in two failed statewide elections. He is tied at the hip to the Richard Irvin establishment RINO’s and there is zero chance he would ever take the fight to corruption and government overreach in this state. Him and Jimmy Boy Durkin are cut from the same cloth and Mr. Kim would be emboldened to the Republican establishment just ask Kwame is emboldened to the Democrat establishment.
It seems the reckless roadshow, snake oil salesman, grifter with a bad temperament is my new call sign. LOL
These people are ridiculous and have no idea how to save this state. If the people want more of the same, elect these RINO’s. If you want to create real change, you might consider electing patriot street fighters who will fight for your families when it’s not popular!!
There are 17,520 total hours in two calendar years. He must be quadruplets.
— Leading candidates in IL-03 gearing up for a close race: “This is a race that pits a sitting Chicago alderman against a sitting state representative from the city, each trying to balance their progressive credentials with the need to appeal to typically more conservative DuPage County voters out in the western part of the new district,” reports ABC 7’s Craig Wall.
— Sen. Dick Durbin has endorsed Nancy Shepherdson for 5th District State Central Committeewoman seat. Shepherdson is an incumbent (redistricted into the 5th) who’s in the race with state Rep. Margaret Croke — who’s endorsed by Gov. JB Pritzker — and MWD’s [sic] Mariyana Spyropoulos
— Bernie’s back: Sen. Bernie Sanders hosts a “Get Out the Vote” rally Saturday at 9:30 a.m. in Humboldt Park. Sanders, who endorsed Delia Ramirez for the IL-03 race, is in Chicago for the annual “Labor Notes” conference that brings together workplace organizers and union representatives from across the country. … Sun-Times has more here. … The “Get Out the Vote” rally is free but RSVPs encouraged here.
— Richard Uihlein and Elizabeth Uihlein have each donated $2,900 to Catalina Lauf’s bid for Congress in the IL-11 Republican primary. […]
— Precious Brady-Davis, candidate for commissioner at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, is out with a new video. If she wins she’d be the first trans woman of color to be elected in Illinois. The ad’s tag line, “nothing is more precious than water.”
That Precious Brady-Davis video is pretty well-done.
* CD3…
Today, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) is endorsing State Representative Delia Ramirez for Congress in Illinois’ 3rd District.
Delia Ramirez is running for an open seat in the newly-drawn district, which now covers Chicago’s Northwest Side and suburbs. It contains a Latino plurality and is strongly Democratic.
Polling shows Delia Ramirez is the frontrunner in four-way primary, where she leads 19% to 11% over Chicago Alderman Gilbert Villegas. In addition to the PCCC, Ramirez has been endorsed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the Working Families Party, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC. If elected, she would be the first Latina in Congress from the Midwest.
“Delia Ramirez doesn’t just wage uphill battles against establishment lawmakers—she wins meaningful change for the people,” the PCCC said in an email to its membership. “Delia Ramirez leads on issues that are central to the working families she represents, like lowering prescription drug prices and fighting for a $15 minimum wage. Instead of taking corporate PAC money, she has pushed to end the revolving door between lawmakers and lobbyists. This is the kind of transformative leadership we need in Congress.”
“I am proud to receive the endorsement of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which is building grassroots power across our country to pass Medicare for All, Paid Family Leave, and the expansion of Social Security so that everyone in our country can have the care that they need when they need it,” said Delia Ramirez (IL-03). “I look forward to working with them to continue to charge the path for bold progressive policies in Congress.”
The daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, Delia Ramirez’s focus on bold, transformative solutions to homelessness and poverty is inspired by her childhood experience volunteering at a soup kitchen. As a nonprofit executive, community organizer, and Illinois state legislator, she has consistently prioritized housing insecurity. Delia Ramirez passed the COVID-19 Emergency Housing Act to protect renters from eviction and homeowners from foreclosure, and secured funding for a tenant and landlord pandemic relief fund.
The PCCC has raised over $35 million for progressive candidates and committees this past decade. The PCCC will fundraise for Delia Ramirez from its nearly-million members nationally and will recruit volunteers and local endorsements from its 15,000 Illinois members.
In 2007, Chicago officials and civic leaders had an idea: to create a nonprofit organization that would bring Olympic sports to the city’s youth, promote Chicago as an international sporting metropolis and, in turn, boost the city’s chances of securing the 2016 Olympic bid.
When Chicago infamously lost its bid for the games, backers of World Sport Chicago insisted the nonprofit would still carry on a legacy — bringing sports and the “ideals of the Olympic movement” to underserved youth.
In 2015, Kambium Buckner — current Chicago mayoral candidate, state representative and former employee with the Chicago Cubs — took over the nonprofit, and promised to use WSC to give kids in “forgotten pockets” of the city “opportunities and chances to succeed and to survive.”
But a WBEZ analysis shows that, while Buckner carried out that mission for several years, World Sport Chicago slowly dissolved, its finances diminished and money spent on programming for kids decreased during his tenure. This all came as documents show Buckner’s salary nearly tripled, from $137,352 to $364,159 in just four years, before the organization was “involuntarily dissolved” by the state last year.
Buckner is among seven others vying for the 2023 mayoral seat. He announced his campaign in May with a “four star” plan that includes “safety and justice,” improved education, economic recovery — as well as stabilizing the city’s long-troubled finances. In his campaign literature, he has touted his time at World Sport Chicago, saying he brought sports to 70,000 students.
* CD14…
Senator Sue Rezin (SD38), a leading conservative voice in Illinois’ legislature, endorses Kendall County Board Chairman, Scott R. Gryder, frontrunner for nomination of the Republican Party to challenge Lauren Underwood for Illinois’ 14th Congressional District.
Calling Gryder the candidate “best equipped to take on Lauren Underwood in November,” Senator Rezin highlighted Scott’s “proven track record of strong leadership and sound fiscal policy.”
Contrasting Underwood’s “far left, progressive ideologies,” Rezin believes Gryder will “bring his common-sense conservatism to Washington, D.C. and will focus on stopping wasteful spending, protecting patients’ rights, standing up for our veterans, and securing our borders.”
Upon receiving the endorsement of Senator Rezin, Gryder released the following statement:
“My campaign for Illinois’ 14th District is being waged on behalf of the hard-working families struggling under the policies and failures of leadership exhibited by Lauren Underwood and her allies in Washington, Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi. It’s time for a change, and I am honored that Senator Sue Rezin, a conservative leader we know and trust believes my pro-growth, pro-family, pro-freedom approach is the right choice for our district and our future. I thank Senator Rezin for her friendship, her confidence in my leadership, and her support as I prepare to take on Lauren Underwood.”
* How’s he gonna withhold the salaries of state’s attorneys?…
That was sent to a Downstate D3 voter, by the way.
…Adding… [I’ve pulled this release down for now.]
*** UPDATE *** I had quickly posted a press release and then thought about it and quickly took it down. The release was from the Kari Steele campaign claiming “At least two of Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s senior officials have broken the law on the County’s residency requirements for employees, which mandates that employees live in Cook County.” This is from the assessor’s office Chief Legal Officer Tatia Gibbons…
The courts have ruled that the law cited here is unenforceable against the majority of county employees. In order to treat all employees similarly, the Assessor chose to adopt the same approach for all employees. This decision was made by the Assessor after consulting with the County Independent Inspector General to ensure that this was an appropriate course of action.
* First, take a look at this ad for judicial candidates Howard Brookins and Tom Nowinski…
Not bad.
* Now, I don’t usually post low-level circuit court ads, but the pitch was interesting. As you probably know, early voting turnout, in Cook County at least, is in the absolute tank right now. This person’s pitch was that the voting population will be heavily skewed to older Democrats, who tend to vote no matter wha, and that’s who they’re targeting here with their broadcast buy. And, because the primary is so late, TV ad rates have dropped for the summer. Here’s the pitch, slightly edited by me with updated information and a deletion of a bad word…
A real broadcast TV buy - 390 gross ratings points for 55 and older. That age group will be at least half the Dem primary electorate.
The money total is at least $150,000 (trying to add more, but that much has been wired). The buy starts this weekend.
Here’s why, I think, it’s an interesting story.
Normally these judges have so few options running countywide and reaching a half a million voters or more. But this year is different because the TV sweeps period is over and rates are cheaper. Admittedly, there are less eyeballs around because it’s summer, but we are about to have our first primary in June in our history. Turnout could be [very] low and if it is, those are older people, more likely to be Black, and less likely to be jet-setting out of town. So, they’ll catch daytime TV and some news.
Howard and Tom teaming up like this gets a lower cost to each candidate, but also something kind of memorable. This ad stands out in the crowd and it also repeats their names four times with “Democrats” on the screen the whole time.
So, something like this never happens but for the fact that our primary was moved. It’s rate the ad and rate the strategy.
You can feel free to rate both the ad and the strategy, and/or talk about what you think turnout will be and who will vote and what that could mean.
* Let’s circle back to Gov. Pritzker’s one-hour Q&A during yesterday’s Crain’s Fast 50 Business Luncheon. The moderator was referring here to policies like abortion rights…
Q: You’ve been a pretty staunch advocate that you think Illinois is on the right side of these policies. And that that’s actually a net benefit to us in attracting people and companies. But you’ve also got things like Caterpillar moving its headquarters down to Texas, which, you know, is moving in the opposite direction. And people really ask the question when it comes to economic development, when it comes to headquarters moves, is the bottom line wins over everything? Do you still think that those policies, you know, pay off for us economically?
Pritzker: Well, let me remind you that, just like with population, you have some people that leave a state, other people that come to a state. You’re looking for a net positive. And that’s what we’ve had with our population growth. The same thing is true about job growth, the availability of jobs. We’re going to have ebbs and flows of business and companies.
But the goal here is to make sure that we’re attracting people and businesses. The policies that you’re referring to, I’m not suggesting that these are economic development policies, but fighting for a woman’s right to choose, fighting for LGBTQ rights, fighting for individual rights and civil rights. I mean, these are fundamental beliefs of mine. I think this is what the people of Illinois believe in as well. That’s why I’m fighting for them.
Do they - this is the question that I answered in a Chicago Tribune interview - Do they also help us attract people and businesses? Yes, they do. That the very people who are coming into the high-growth businesses that we’re stoking the fires of in Illinois, biotechnology, technology, I’ve talked about some of them today. The people that are looking for those kinds of high-talent jobs, these are people who don’t want to live in Texas because they’ve taken away a woman’s right to choose. They don’t want to live in Missouri, they don’t want to live in Oklahoma, they don’t want to live in Florida, where they’re taking away people’s rights. And so they’re going to their companies in Texas and Florida and elsewhere and they’re saying to their bosses, ‘What do I do when I need to go exercise my reproductive health,’ for example.
Now, companies sometimes are creating programs, ‘We’ll fly you out of state’ - you may have read about this - ‘to help you get the rights that you deserve, right to get the treatment that you need.’ But eventually, you’ve got to, you know, you want to put your business where not only your employees are satisfied with and happy with the environment they’re living in, but also where you’ve got a bunch of highly talented workers already pre-existing.
That’s what Illinois is, right? We’re a state that stands up for people’s rights. And we’ve got a bunch of highly talented workers. So yeah, I do think in the long run it benefits the state of Illinois.
Does it happen overnight? Like everything, right, creating one tax incentive or creating a benefit for individuals and protecting people’s rights. That’s something that seeps into the groundwater, in my view, for workers and for companies.
And eventually, and I can say this about the film industry, we just announced about an hour or two ago, that Illinois now has had a record amount of revenue produced as a result of film and television and advertising investment that’s been made in the state of Illinois. So, you know, more than ever before, we’re having people come here. One of the reasons for that, and I hear this from producers, is because their talent wants to be in Illinois. They don’t want to be in Georgia, where they’re taking away people’s voting rights and their LGBTQ rights and their reproductive rights. They don’t want to be in those places. They do want to be here. And that’s just a kind of leading indicator, if you ask me.
Q: They’re also very big fans of incentives, as I recall, right?
Pritzker: And we have a competitive incentive here with other states. So yeah, I mean, look, I get it, I was a businessman before I was governor. I get it, people want incentives. But it is, what I am hearing is good. We’re competitive in our incentives. And so that’s a reason for people to consider here. But the thing that really confirms it for them is that the people who are working for them are here, want to be in Illinois while they’re making these productions, and that we have the talent. DePaul is producing talent. We’ve got Cinespace and other studios that have been created in Illinois. We’re a great environment for that industry. And again, it’s the highest it’s a record amount of revenue that’s been created as a result of our … film and TV tax [credit].
A strike by the workers who produce gravel and other essential materials for roadwork is raising concerns it could hamstring a crucial construction season.
About 300 members of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 hit the picket lines June 7 at 35 Chicago-area facilities owned by Lehigh Hanson, Vulcan Materials Co. and Holcim, union officials said.
The labor action is causing shortages in vital supplies and already impinging on some road projects at what is typically the busiest time of the year, industry experts explained. […]
Local 150 representatives said a lack of building materials had caused work on a I-90 project near the Jane Byrne Interchange scheduled for Friday to be postponed.
* From Barry N. Voorn, Ozinga Ready Mix Concrete Inc. General Counsel…
You may have received a letter from Operating Engineers, Local 150 stating that they have a primary labor dispute with Ozinga Ready Mix Concrete, Inc. based on what Local 150 claims are unfair labor practice charges by Ozinga. I wanted to give you a history of this matter and to let you know that Local 150’s claims are baseless and how we plan to handle this matter going forward.
As you may be aware, Local 150 has been on strike against the Chicago Area Aggregates Producers Association (”CAAPA”) since June 7th. CMPA is made up of Vulcan, Lafarge Holcim and Lehigh Hanson. Once the strike started Local 150 began picketing CAAPA members at most if not all of their locations. At some of these against sites, Ozinga has operations on property of Vulcan and Lafarge Holcim that the Company leases and we set up a set up neutral gates at our entrances at these sites. Local 150 ignored the gate system that Ozinga put in place and picketed our operations in South Elgin, McCook and Marengo despite the fact that we had established a neutral gate.
Based on this action, Ozinga filed unfair labor practice charges against Local 150 alleging that their pickets were unlawful. The Company took picture of the picketers who were open about their pickets at the McCook site. Based on this action, Local 150 filed charges against Ozinga for what they claim is “surveillance.”
We believe that the unfair labor practice charges filed by Local 150 are without merit and that they have filed these charges to attempt to bring further pressure on their CMPA negotiations and in retaliation for Ozinga filing Charges against them. We believe that any picketing or threats to picket are unlawful and further violate the National Labor Relations Act and we will be filing additional charges as well as a potential lawsuit under Section 303 of the Labor Management Relations Act for any damages.
Local 150 violates the National Labor Relations Act if it threatens to picket your Company to force you to cease doing business with Ozinga or if it makes other threats or acts in a coercive manner toward your Company with an object of stopping you from doing business with Ozinga. Local 150 also violates the law if they cause your employees to strike or refuse to perform work in order to force your Company not to do business with Ozinga. This can subject Local 150 to monetary damages for your Company as well as Ozinga.
If any business agent of Local 150 threatens your Company with a strike or picket or engages in such activity to try to stop you from doing business with Ozinga, such actions may violate the National Labor Relations Act as well as Section 303 of the Labor Management Relations Act which may entitle your Company to collect damages from Local 150. If Local 150 or its agents engage in such activities, I would appreciate talking to you about any such actions. Thank you for your consideration and please do not hesitate to call me with any questions.
* I asked Local 150 for a response…
Ozinga is a customer of Vulcan, and therefore is prohibited from using a neutral gate by Vulcan’s own rules (attached). By using it, Ozinga taints that gate and makes it a legitimate site for picketing. This is fairly simple, and has been law for more than 60 years.
When Ozinga prepared unfair labor practice charges against Local 150, they sent those charges to the Teamsters they employ more than 12 hours before they sent them to Local 150. It appears that these charges were filed for little reason other than to intimidate the Teamsters from honoring the strike. This opens Ozinga to potential lawsuits.
We filed unfair labor practice charges against Ozinga for unlawfully surveilling a picket line without a legitimate purpose. For an employer to surveil a picket line, here has to be a reason other than legitimate section 7 protected activity, like violence, blocking, etc. None of these things have occurred on picket lines, and so there was no basis to surveil these employees.
While we have filed unfair labor practice charges against Ozinga, we are not currently on strike against it. We have reached out to managers and supervisors notifying them of the charges we filed against Ozinga, which is completely legal.
Ozinga’s letter is an effort to bully smaller employers and frighten us with damage lawsuits.
Ivan Claudio Gonzalez, 40, of Chicago, IL, passed away on June 14, 2022. Ivan has been a policy and political consultant for the past 18 years in the State of Illinois. Since 2016, Ivan served as the Chief of Staff to Illinois State Senator Omar Aquino, where he managed day-to-day operations of the senate district office, legislative agenda, and community relations for the senator. Ivan was widely loved by his family and friends for his kindness, generosity and infectious laugh. He was known for having a positive impact on the lives of many who crossed his path.
He is survived by his father Mario Gonzalez, his mother Rosa Gonzalez, his sister Vanessa, his brother-in-law John Velez, and his nieces Liliana and Daniela Velez.
Memorial visitation will be held Friday, June 17th, from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm with a service at 6:00 pm to watch the livestream via Zoom click here at Smith-Corcoran Funeral Home 6150 North Cicero Avenue, Chicago, IL 60646. For information 773-736-3833
I was just out with Ivan a few weeks ago in Chicago. He was such a fun, hard-working guy and those who knew him are devastated by his unexpected passing.
His passing has left a massive void in all of us. He was widely loved by his friends and family. His humor and kindness brought joy to every room he walked in. No matter the challenge - Ivan was always there to lend a hand. He was a caring soul who lived life to the fullest. We are very saddened by his passing and have set up this GoFund Me to provide some financial support to his family in this difficult time. We hope you find it in your heart to donate, for the many times Ivan made you laugh.
* GOP purity test in DuPage County? Republican candidates for County Board chair question each other’s Democratic ties: If elected to the top job, [Hart] said, he wants to keep taxes flat, make it easier for companies owned by women, minorities and veterans to do business with the county and ensure the sheriff and state’s attorney get what they need to combat rising crime. DiCianni, 55, is a former mayor of Elmhurst who has helped to get several state laws passed, including a measure that requires insurers to cover autism treatment and one that allows police to track cognitively impaired people through GPS wristbands if they go missing.
* Daily Herald Endorsement: Hart for DuPage County Board chairman: Hart also took on a significant role in dealing with the opioid crisis in DuPage. He is the co-chairman of the Heroin/Opioid Prevention and Education Taskforce. The joint operation of the county board and board of health recommends policies, initiatives and programs to battle the opioid epidemic.
* GOP rivals for DuPage County Board chair trade barbs in high-stakes primary: If elected, Hart pledged to meet individually with every board member, regardless of their political affiliation, to understand their priorities. Hart said he can apply his expertise in management consulting — bringing together “diverse stakeholders that often don’t disagree” — to the chairman’s job. … During his mayoral tenure, the city’s credit rating was upgraded and Elmhurst Hospital was rebuilt. DiCianni won his county board seat in 2012. “It’s about who can lead, who’s put the time in and who’s got the credibility to bring these relationships that have been forged over years to the table to bring the county to the next level,” he said. DiCianni, who touts a list of municipal backers, aims to unify mayors in DuPage, a group that’s “always been divided.”
Brett Nicklaus, a certified financial planner from Dixon, and incumbent Win Stoller, who lives in Germantown Hills, go head to head in the Republican primary for this newly redrawn district, for which no Democratic candidate has been slated. The 37th District now includes parts of DeKalb, Whiteside, Ogle and Lee counties. […]
Stoller, a CPA with an accounting degree and a former auditor with Price Waterhouse, points to his financial acumen as a way to put the state on a more solid financial track, even in times when federal money is not there to help. He said he does not intend to campaign negatively. And he told us he intends to “work both sides of the aisle, in a bipartisan way, to get things done and help small businesses.”
Taking him at his word on that, and noting his broad experience, Stoller has our endorsement.
Maybe the Tribune shouldn’t have taken him at his word. He definitely has a huge amount of quite impressive experience, but Sen. Stoller’s CPA license expired 13 years ago.
And I’m thinking this may not have been a misquote or misunderstanding. Sen. Stoller has claimed more than once that he is a CPA.
Fraudsters stole more than half the money paid out by the state from a special pandemic unemployment fund, pilfering nearly $2 billion in federal money that was supposed to help out-of-work Illinoisans, according to a state audit released Thursday.
The audit offers the first estimate for Illinois’ share of the mammoth fraud that swept the country during the pandemic as states were hit with a deluge of unemployment claims. The audit covers much of the period the program was in use, from July 2020 through June 2021. […]
“The fraudsters illicitly got federal money — not state — because the Trump administration designed a uniquely flawed system,” the agency said.
But a Tribune investigation published a year ago found the problems in Illinois were exacerbated by IDES’ failure to follow federal recommendations to adopt free fraud-fighting tools made available before the pandemic, while also being slow in developing other processes to ferret out fraud.
The audit didn’t review those failures, let alone determine how much they may have boosted the fraud tab. But the audit found that, of the $3.6 billion in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance paid out from July 2020 through June 2021, nearly $1.9 billion was tied to fraud, the vast majority in the form of identity theft.
CBS 2 asked the Illinois Auditor General if the issues it found with the PUA system in Illinois could be preventing IDES from figuring out how much money was lost to fraud.
“While we cannot speak with any certainty to the cause of the Department’s challenges regarding calculating the extent of fraud, it is our opinion that the inability of the Department to provide complete and accurate PUA claimant data to our auditors indicates that it would be very difficult to calculate, with any certainty, the extent of fraud in the PUA system,” the auditor general’s office said.
* Leader McConchie…
Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie issued the below statement following the release of the Auditor General’s June 16 audit of the Illinois Department of Employment Security:
“This report is just further evidence of the mismanagement within IDES that has been so clearly evident throughout the pandemic.
“Governor Pritzker had a responsibility to the people he put out of work. While thousands were waiting for a dysfunctional and chaotic system to issue them the benefits they were owed, fraud was running rampant throughout the system leaving hundreds of thousands of residents victimized by fraudulent claims.
“The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program was so poorly run that the Auditor General’s office couldn’t even conduct a proper audit to determine the amount of fraud that occurred. The saddest thing is, Illinoisans are on the hook for this disaster.
“Had Pritzker prioritized the issue and not been so focused on arbitrarily shutting down businesses and then criminalizing them for noncompliance of his mandates, these problems could have been mitigated.”
* Governor’s office…
Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic, every state in the nation was plagued by fraudulent attacks on their unemployment system by organized criminals, with recent federal estimates claiming at least $163 billion in national unemployment fraud. The federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, that is the subject of this audit, was the epicenter for this fraud. The fraudsters illicitly got federal money – not state – because the Trump administration designed a uniquely flawed system.
Since the Trump administration launched the PUA program in Spring 2020, IDES has sounded the alarm over insufficient and flawed federal guidance. This included the Trump administration stripping IDES of its best tools to stop fraud, such as requiring income or employment verification before paying out claims.
The PUA program is 100% federally funded and the findings highlighted in the audit do not impact the state’s UI Trust Fund. The system used to manage the PUA program is independent of the system used to manage regular UI benefits that are funded under state law. From the start of the pandemic through the end of 2021, IDES stopped roughly $40 billion in fraudulent payments across state and federal programs. IDES has saved tens of billions in government funds through enhanced integrity measures, including implementing new login software that utilizes security industry best practices and launching new data analysis tools to verify applicant identities and claims.
Background:
• As the audit itself notes, ‘Unlike in regular UI, the PUA program does not provide for a database of earnings and wages to support the program, and consequently, there are unique and pervasive opportunities for fraud within PUA.’
• Federal watchdog reports and information from other states emphasize that UI fraud was concentrated in the PUA program due to poor federal guidance.
• As the GAO timeline shows below, the program was changed hastily and repeatedly to respond to states’ concerns. Numerous recent federal reports describe at the length the poor guidance from the previous federal administration. See the following:
- Testimony of Larry D. Turner, Inspector General, USDOL: Pandemic Response and Accountability: Reducing Fraud and Expanding Access to COVID-19 Relief through Effective Oversight
- USDOL OIG: OIG Oversight of the Unemployment Insurance Program
- Government Accountability Office: Pandemic Programs Posed Challenges, and DOL Could Better Address Customer Service and Emergency Planning
- Government Accountability Office: Pandemic Unemployment Assistance: Federal Program Supported Contingent Workers amid Historic Demand, but DOL Should Examine Racial Disparities in Benefit Receipt
Furthermore, evidence shows that UI fraud in other states was also predominantly concentrated in the PUA program – often at a scale larger than what was seen in Illinois. For example:
- California shared it lost at least $20 billion to fraud. California estimated that 95% of confirmed fraudulent payments were associated with PUA. (EDD, AP)
- Michigan lost roughly $2.8 billion to “imposter” fraud, and $5.7 billion to “misrepresentation” fraud. Of the dollars lost to fraud, 97% came from federal programs. (UIA Audit; NPR)
- Pennsylvania lost $6 billion to fraud. 94% of those dollars were from federal programs. (CBS Pittsburgh; WFMZ)
- A small number of additional states have released estimated fraud totals, such as Arizona ($4.4 billion, September 2021), Florida ($1.9 billion, July 2021), Texas ($2.5 billion, November 2021), and Kansas ($700 million, August 2021). The USDOL Office of the Inspector General estimates that at least $163 billion in pandemic UI benefits could have been paid improperly across all states.
* Actually, the story is from yesterday, but I didn’t get to it. Here’s Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune, and Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublica…
From the moment Amara Harris was accused of stealing another student’s AirPods at Naperville North High School, she has insisted that it was a mix-up, not a theft.
She told a school dean that she thought the AirPods were her own, having picked them up a few days earlier in the school’s learning commons, where she said she thought she had left her own set. Her mother repeatedly told officers that her daughter hadn’t stolen the wireless earbuds, records show.
Still, the school resource officer wrote Amara a ticket in 2019 for violating a municipal ordinance against theft. Paying a fine would have made the matter go away, but Amara says she won’t admit to something she didn’t do. For two and a half years, she has repeatedly gone to court to assert her innocence, even delaying her plans to attend on-campus classes at her dream school, Spelman College.
Now, in a rare and dramatic example of the impact of school ticketing, the case is headed for a jury trial, with the next court date on Tuesday. As Naperville continues to prosecute the case, Amara and her mother have racked up far more in legal bills than the city’s highest fine would have cost them.
“I am innocent. I am fighting because I don’t want this to happen to anyone else,” said Amara, now 19. “Why would I say I’m innocent to everyone but then I lie in court and say I’m guilty? It doesn’t make sense to me.”
This spring, in the investigation “The Price Kids Pay,” ProPublica and the Chicago Tribune exposed the widespread practice of school officials and local police working together to ticket Illinois students for misbehavior at school, resulting in fines that can cost hundreds of dollars. Reporters documented about 12,000 tickets issued for possession of vaping devices and cannabis, disorderly conduct, truancy and other violations from August 2018 through June 2021.
Ticketing students for their behavior in school skirts a state law that bans schools from disciplining students with monetary fines. Immediately after the report was published, state officials including Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the state schools superintendent said they intended to put a stop to the practice.
The superintendent, Carmen Ayala, chided schools for outsourcing discipline to police and urged them to stop. The Illinois attorney general’s office, concerned that school ticketing was violating the civil rights of students of color, launched an investigation into a large suburban high school district and said it might investigate others.
But none of the state officials addressed how to deal with pending cases of students who, like Amara, had already been ticketed.
“The governor says he wants this to stop, he wants this to end,” said Amara’s mother, Marla Baker. “We are in the middle of it.”
Amara’s family, like so many others, was thrown into a system that uses a lower standard of proof than a criminal court. People ticketed for ordinance violations can be held responsible if the allegation is deemed more likely to be true than not, and the ticket itself is considered evidence. At every turn, the system and the officials in it encourage families to admit liability and pay a fine. And most do.
* Click here to see the sign-up page. Mendon is about 16 miles from Quincy. That’s where the fairgrounds are.
Looks like it’s really happening, campers. Buckle up!
*** UPDATE 1 *** Rodney Davis campaign…
Rodney Davis, Republican candidate for Congress in the 15th District, released the following statement after President Donald Trump announced a campaign rally to be held in Adams County on Saturday, June 25:
“I’m proud of my conservative record of working with Trump when he was in office, and I won’t shy away from it. I’m focused on winning this campaign, firing Nancy Pelosi, and re-implementing the many policy successes we had when Trump was president, like building the wall, cutting taxes, and making America energy independent again.
“As the future Chairman of House Administration, I will also be focused on investigating the security failures leading up to January 6, finding out if Speaker Pelosi had a role in those failures, and holding her sham Select Committee circus accountable.
“I would hope President Trump and Republican voters are aware of the baggage Mary Miller has, including a convicted pedophile serving as her personal driver, her rhetoric encouraging illegal immigration, her vote with the Socialist Squad to defund the military, and her close ties to an anti-Trump Super PAC. Time and again, Mary Miller has put America last in Congress.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Not a huge surprise considering the personal ties between Irvin’s campaign staff and Rodney…
Ken Griffin, the billionaire Citadel CEO and Republican megadonor, gave $1.5 million as sole donor to Illinois Values PAC that's spent ~$1.5 million opposing Rep. Mary Miller (R) in June 28 primary vs Rep. Rodney Davis (R): https://t.co/IQf8nYXjP9#il15#twill
A complaint was filed with our office on April 26th containing various allegations against you arising out of your position as a State Senator. I have reviewed the complaint and evidence obtained from a detailed and thorough investigation conducted by all members of the Office of the Legislative Inspector General.
The investigation included witness interviews in Chicago with the signatory complainant Jan Czarnik, who did not prepare the allegations in the complaint. Also interviewed was Kathyrn “Kitty” Kurth who prepared all of the allegations and documents in the complaint. Finally, this office interviewed you, Senator Melinda Bush and you provided this office with voluminous bank records and legal documents to refute the allegations of the complaint.
After thorough investigation by my office, I have concluded that the allegations of misconduct and violations of law described in the complaint are factually unsupported and therefore unfounded.
Because the complaint in this case waived confidentiality when it was filed, and because Kathyrn Kurth released the complaint to the press on the day it was filed, I believe further comments by me are appropriate. The waiver of confidentiality at the time of filing the complaint combined with a press release on the same day was not an accident. Such conduct appears to have been an attempt to politically weaponize the filing of the complaint as a political action in advance of a proper investigation by this office.
Moreover, by publishing and politicizing the complaint in advance of a proper investigation by this office, I find such conduct to be unfair to the accused, Senator Melinda Bush. That is especially true when in this case, the allegations made in the complaint tum out to be factually unsupported and unfounded.
Because the allegations of the complaint lack evidentiary support, this file will be closed without further action.
Current law prohibits the Office of the Legislative Inspector General from publicly disclosing the results of a complaint deemed unfounded, Nor will any public comment be isssued from this office as a result of my findings closing the investigation. A copy of this letter will be emailed to the complainants as well.
Sincerely,
Michael P. McCuskey
Illinois Legislative Inspector General
Yep. That Sam Yingling crowd really ought to be ashamed of themselves for this. But there’s no chance of that. Sheesh.
…Adding… In a previous life, Emily Miller did some PR work for Rep. Yingling. So she knows whereof she speaks…
Writing & filing a fantasy IG complaint to satiate your need to vilify a retiring senator for your own political gain is very stupid, and it’s a waste of taxpayer money. IGs are important, and I’m glad this IG was clear about how inappropriate this was. https://t.co/Oi5mDjS6MC
* This excerpt is from one of the most difficult columns I ever wrote because I had to try to understand and then explain something that often defies both. From 2019…
Some of the finest minds in the state recently explained to me the importance of a mostly unnoticed line in the state of Illinois’ new capital projects plan.
University of Chicago President Robert Zimmer, Argonne National Laboratory Director Paul Kearns and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Provost Andreas Cangellaris touted new state government funding for a program that could be “even bigger than supercomputing” (Zimmer) and a “paradigm shift” in technology (Cangellaris).
What is this marvel? Quantum physics. It’s the study of subatomic particles that don’t behave in the way we understand “normal” physics. The particles do things like exist in two places simultaneously, move through what we would consider solid objects and change their form when observed. Google it. It’ll blow your mind.
The idea is to try to harness these tiny particles to do stuff like create vastly improved computing systems or design totally new types of pharmaceuticals or unbreakable encryption.
* Gov. Pritzker sat down for a one-hour Q&A today during the Crain’s Fast 50 Business Luncheon in Chicago, and he told the interviewer that he wanted to talk about quantum…
Q: Why are you so bullish on quantum and Illinois?
A: Well, I think all of you know that we have some of the best institutions of higher learning in our state. These are research institutions, the University of Illinois, University of Chicago, Northwestern, and others. And that is recognized by the rest of the nation. University of Chicago, in particular has the Chicago Quantum Exchange. And, you know, just to back up, quantum is going to change everything about our lives, and it’s going to change everything about our businesses. And if we don’t lead in the world, forget about just Illinois, if the United States doesn’t lead in quantum in the world, we will no longer be a superpower. And that could happen in relatively short order.
So the federal government understands that and is putting money into Quantum. And a couple of years ago, the federal government had major Department of Energy grants that they were offering to those who would bid on them, who could really make major leaps forward in quantum computing, quantum development. So Illinois, University of Chicago, the University of Illinois, and the state of Illinois with a $200 million grant, put together a consortium to go after those grants. And you know, what, Illinois won more of those grants than any other state. That’s really a big deal. That is something that I hope people will pay more and more attention to, because our major universities and research institutions, don’t forget, we have Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi lab, all of them involved in this, you know, all the things that you see in a documentary, or if you’re around for it, you know, that happened in Silicon Valley, with silicon chips, is happening in Illinois now with the development of quantum. And so if we keep investing in it, we keep stoking those fires, really, we’re going to lead the nation in Illinois, and we’re going to lead our nation to success in the world. So long term, but
Q: It’s a long-term bet, but how long does it take to see tangible results from that? Is that something that’s going to happen over 15, 20, 25 years or sooner?
Pritzker: Well, let’s say we’re going to have 50 years of success. As a result, if we succeed, that we’ll have 50 years of major economic success for our state, our city. In the short run, we’ve already attracted a whole bunch of very talented scientists, and people who want to commercialize the development of the technology that’s coming out of the laboratories. So that’s already happening. We have people moving here to our labs, to the Chicago Quantum Exchange, to our universities to be part of this burgeoning industry and research. And so that’s already a success.
But if you’re asking the question like, ‘Gee, when are you going to be able to announce the 10,000 jobs?’ you know, I want to just make it clear that I get it that I’m only in this job for so long, right. But that Illinois is going to be here forever. And that my job as governor is to make the kinds of investments that will give us the best possible future 10 and 20 and 30 years, long after I’m governor. So I’ve done that. I mean our $45 billion infrastructure bill, investing in our roads and bridges and airports, and, you know, all of our infrastructure, building new buildings, including new university labs and so on. That’s not about the next two years or three years, that’s about the next 20 years.
A new law spearheaded by state Rep. Mark Walker, D-Arlington Heights, will strengthen consent laws, hold rapists accountable and provide justice for survivors of sexual assault.
“This law will close a loophole in our system that was allowing offenders to avoid prosecution by unfairly shifting blame on the survivors,” Walker said. “If someone becomes intoxicated by their own hand, in absolutely no way does that excuse criminal behavior directed toward them.”
Walker’s House Bill 5441 adds language to the state’s definition of “unable to give knowing consent” by specifying that one cannot give consent if they are too intoxicated due to voluntary consumption of drugs or alcohol. Before Walker’s proposal, Illinois statute only indicated that one is unable to give consent if the rapist administers drugs or alcohol that would cause the victim to become unconscious and the offender was reasonably aware of their condition.
“The existing system underscored a stigma in society that suggests that victims deserve to be blamed or are somehow responsible for sexual assault,” Walker said. “Today we’re standing with survivors. I am deeply thankful for the advocates and survivors who came forward to make today a reality. There’s still much more work to do, but today was an important step in the right direction.”
* Governor’s office…
Today Governor JB Pritzker signed two bills aimed at making medical and legal care for victims of sexual assault broader and more accessible. HB5441 amends Illinois Criminal Code to specify that someone is unable to give consent when intoxicated, even when the accused assaulter didn’t provide the substance that intoxicated them. SB3023 expands where survivors can access treatment and for how long, as well as requiring Federally Qualified Health Centers to provide medical forensic services by trained professionals.
“We cannot have a justice system that re-traumatizes those forced to utilize it,” said Governor Pritzker. “To survivors in our state: there are no words to lessen the unimaginable trauma and pain you’ve been through. I want you to know that your Governor hears you. When you speak out, our systems will respond. It is our responsibility to give you the autonomy and justice that you deserve.”
“Compassionate policy making is good government and values people and their wellbeing by putting resources and services in place that matter,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “This legislation does that, by ensuring that there are avenues of crucial support for survivors of sexual assault seeking the justice and healing they deserve.”
The expanded definition of consent outlined under HB5441 provides that the accused abuser knew or reasonably should have known the victim was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, among others, advocated for this change to provide a clearer path for prosecution against perpetrators of sexual assault on impaired victims. Many sexual assault cases are thrown out due to negative perceptions around voluntary drinking or drug use, preventing victims from seeking justice against their attacker.
The issue was brought to State Rep. Mark Walker’s (D-Chicago) attention by Kaylyn Ahn, an 18-year-old who suffered a sexual assault while inebriated and was told the case likely would not be prosecuted for that reason. Walker, whose office Ahn had previously worked in, sponsored the legislation after hearing her story. Ahn testified in front on legislators in Springfield in support of the bill.
The amendments to the Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act (SASETA) outlined in SB3023 are the result of recommendations made by the Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Services Implementation Task Force, a group formed to examine the healthcare needs of sexual assault survivors and determine necessary policy changes. SASETA governs the health care that hospitals, and now qualified health centers, are required to provide victims to of sexual assault.
This new legislation allows survivors to access care under the act for 180 days, doubling the time window and extending access to those unable to receive care in the first few months after an incident. SB3203 guarantees that a victim seeking medical treatment will have access to a trained medical forensic examiner, as well as other medical staff specifically trained to best care for victims of sexual assault. Trauma-informed sexual assault treatment is important to prevent further distress for the victim, which can deter victims from reporting an assault or pursuing or continuing treatment. Training is also key to give providers the skills to collect potential evidence without contamination or destruction of that evidence.
The bill also allows victims to decline to bill their health insurance provider for the cost of emergency care if they themselves are not the primary policy holder. This allows those seeking treatment after abuse from partners or family members who share in their insurance policy to maintain confidentiality and avoid additional danger.
Governor Pritzker has spearheaded several other initiatives to protect survivors of sexual violence during his time in office. Earlier this year, Governor Pritzker announced that after decades of extensive sexual assault forensic backlogs, the number of pending sexual assault forensic assignments older than 180 days reached zero. Governor Pritzker also recently signed nation-leading legislation expanding protections for victims of sexual violence in Illinois National Guard.
“I am telling my story because my pain is not an individual loss but a systemic failure of a legal system that has time and again failed to protect us,” Kaylyn Ahn said. “No matter what you were wearing, what you were drinking, or whether you were in a relationship with them, rape is never your fault. In signing this bill, we are listening to the power of survivors.”
“There are still too many in our society who find ways to blame the victim as somehow responsible for sexual assault,” State Rep. Mark Walker (D-Chicago) said. “This has to stop. Anyone who would assault a person unable to give consent is a rapist and should be held entirely responsible. Our laws should ensure a survivor can seek justice and know our criminal justice system believes them and stands with them. This bill may be simple, but it will go a long way in ensuring more rapists will be brought to justice.”
“Survivors deserve a justice system that supports them during one of the most difficult times of their lives,” said State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights). “HB5441 removes a loophole that should never have existed and allows survivors to seek justice.”
“The trauma associated with sexual assault is already profound – the last thing survivors need is the added stress of a lack of privacy and confidentiality,” said State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “SB3023 will allow people to feel more secure in seeking a rape exam.”
“Survivors of sexual assault deserve a system that that supports them and provides them with justice and support – not works against them,” said State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake). “By addressing loopholes in current law and providing survivors with more access to care, we are giving them greater means to cope and grieve.”
“Survivors of sexual assault need the system to work a lot better for them to seek and receive health care services as they process the trauma they’ve been through,“ said State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago). “This measure provides a significant improvement by removing costs, bills, and increases the timeline during which survivors can access treatment. I am honored to support this legislation.”
“As a longtime advocate for survivors, getting to work on these bills is an honor,” said State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago). “Working with survivors who use their experience to engage in advocacy to ensure others are better protected than they were is awe-inspiring. Ensuring that survivors have access to appropriate care both at the time of their assault and afterward is a fundamental responsibility of our criminal justice and health systems. Similarly, our criminal justice system must constantly examine systems, procedures, and preconceived notions to ensure that we remove barriers to reporting by survivors.”
“Outdated policies unfortunately failed to protect vulnerable individuals by ensuring accountability and to support survivors with compassion and understanding of the trauma that results from one of the most horrific crimes there is,” said Rep. LaKesia Collins (D-Chicago). “These bills, which I am pleased to see Governor Pritzker sign into law, close loopholes and increase access to resources—both of which will better protect the most vulnerable Illinoisans.”
“The Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault applauds the passage and signing of HB 5441 and SB 3023. These important pieces of legislation affirm essential, common-sense protections and services warranted for survivors of sexual violence. HB 5441 recognizes affirmative consent as the baseline for sexual contact and helps ensure perpetrators do not escape prosecution solely because they did not personally drug a survivor before committing sexual violence. SB 3023 expands survivor access to necessary medical treatment in a timeframe that is consistent with national recommendations and provides a clearer path to navigating the complicated steps often involved with managing insurance claims and related documentation. ICASA fully supports the improved access to legal and medical services resulting from these bills,” said Carrie Ward, Chief Executive Officer, Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault
“Updating the definition of intoxication in our criminal code and doubling the amount of time survivors have to seek reimbursable medical attention expands their options for justice and care in the aftermath of sexual assault. We are proud of the survivors who advocated for these changes and celebrate their signing,” said Mallory Littlejohn, Legal Director at the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation
“This bill provides survivors with more options during their difficult times,” said Monika Pitzele, MD., PHD. “By allowing them to opt out from using private insurance, it will increase access to care for those concerned for their privacy or confidentiality. It will also provide better health care by extending the duration of the voucher for follow up visits and treatments.”
* Sen. Fine…
Human services professionals may soon have access to student loan repayment assistance, thanks to a law led by State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview).
“Human services workers provide life-changing services to some of our most vulnerable communities,” Fine said. “It is past time that we provide them with much-needed assistance.”
Employees in the human services industry include welfare caseworkers, youth service providers, social workers, and many other positions specializing in working with marginalized communities. However, the industry is experiencing a shortage in employees, partially due to financial barriers. Many of these professions require a bachelor’s or master’s degree. However, salaries do not often match the educational achievements, and many human service workers struggle to pay off their student loans.
Fine’s law encourages more students to enter this rewarding and essential workforce by providing student loan repayment plans for employees of community-based human services agencies. The law works to combat the critical worker shortage for the industry and provides assistance to many current human services workers, many of whom are women and people of color.
“While it is necessary for human services professionals to have specialized degrees to work with at-risk communities, possible student debt should not be a deterrent for interested students,” Fine said. “This loan repayment program will help ensure that the cost of tuition is no longer a financial roadblock when pursuing a career in human services.”
Senate Bill 3925 was signed into law June 10, 2022. It takes effect immediately.
* Governor’s office…
Governor JB Pritzker today designated the eastern milksnake as the official snake of the State of Illinois.
House Bill 4821 began as an initiative led by Gentry Heiple, a 7th grader at Carterville Junior High School. Gentry was inspired to advocate for this legislation after reaching out to State Rep. Dave Severin (R-Benton) to inquire about how a bill becomes a law. Gentry conducted all the research and ultimately chose the eastern milksnake. He presented his idea to the House of Representatives State Government Administration Committee who gave unanimous consent.
The eastern milksnake is found all across Illinois – it lives in fields, woodlands, rocky hills, and river bottoms. The milksnake ranges from 24 to 36 inches in length, has smooth scales, large blotches with brown or black borders, and a y- or v-shaped mark on its head. It is not a poisonous snake and are even bred as pets.
Illinois recognizes several other official symbols of the state, including; state bird- the Northern Red Cardinal, state flower- the violet, state tree- the white oak, and state fish- the bluegill. Governor Pritzker signed a bill designating dolostone as the state rock earlier this month after a successful campaign also carried out by students learning about the civic process. More officially designated state flora and fauna can be found on the Illinois DNR website.
“I couldn’t be prouder of our young Illinoisans, like Gentry Heiple, who have gotten involved in our state’s legislative process,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I am honored to sign this bill into law declaring the eastern milksnake the official snake of Illinois. Gentry, may you continue to use your voice to advocate for change—making our state better one bill at a time.”
“I truly enjoyed working with Gentry and his mother on this project,” said State Representative Dave Severin (R-Benton). “Gentry had the idea, did all the research, and bravely presented his idea to the House State Government Administration Committee. I am especially pleased that this bill is receiving the Governor’s signature, and that my office was able to help facilitate connecting a local student to the legislative process.”
“I was honored to carry this legislation over from the House and sponsor a bill that not only established an official state snake but brought to life the vision of 11-year-old Gentry Heiple, from Southern Illinois who took the initiative in making sure our state indeed had an official snake,” said State Senator Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg).
“I decided to do this bill to try and highlight the good and importance of snakes all over,” said Gentry Heiple. “And by doing this I was able to visit the capitol and meet some of the most important people in Illinois. And I am very grateful and appreciative of all the people who supported me and voted yes on the bill. I was surprised to see the amount of people with such fear be so intrigued and supportive of this snake bill.”
* Rep. Ramirez…
State Representative Delia C. Ramirez, D-Chicago, is celebrating the signing of HB 5581, which designates Illinois Route 21/Milwaukee Ave from Sangamon St. in Chicago to Greenwood Rd. in the Village of Niles as the Milwaukee Avenue Polish Heritage Corridor. The bill, introduced and sponsored by Ramirez, was signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker on June 10, 2022.
“Our city and state are richer and fuller due to the many contributions from the Polish American community” said Rep. Ramirez. “Establishing this Polish Heritage Corridor is an opportunity for us to acknowledge, reflect, and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Polish Americans in Chicago and throughout our state. Investing in and celebrating the unique cultural heritage of the communities I represent has been an important part of my work in the state legislature. I am proud to have led this initiative and demonstration of Illinois’ deep and historic connection to Polish history and culture.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, from 2016-2020 people with Polish ancestry made up, on average, around 2.7% of those living in the United States and around 6.6% of Illinois residents, giving Illinois one of the highest proportions of residents with Polish ancestry in the nation.
The new law authorizes the Illinois Department of Transportation to erect plaques along the Corridor in recognition of its new status.
“I am pleased that Gov. Pritzker has signed this important bill into law,” said Ramirez. “I look forward to working with the administration as we continue to partner in honoring, investing in, and preserving the unique cultural heritage and legacy of Illinois’ diverse communities.”
Q: My question is how much does a senior income have to be in order to receive a tax freeze on their property? Thank you.
Steele: I believe the senior income has to be less than 55. I’m not sure because I’m not at the assessor’s office now. But I can tell you this, once I’m at the assessor’s office, one, I’ll definitely know the amount, but I will work with the senior community…
Um, it’s $65,000 and that answer is just facepalm embarrassing. Video clip is here. Full show is here.
Trump campaign rally for Rep. Mary Miller appears increasingly likely […]
Overall, Trump’s candidate has won 12 congressional primaries and lost three times with 11 left to be decided, according to Axios.
* The House Republicans have taken the “closet Democrat” claim to a whole other level in the 93rd District, where Rep. Mark Luft (R-Pekin) is facing Travis Weaver in the primary. From a Weaver Facebook ad…
In this week’s installment of “What’s Mark Makin’ Up”, we have a decade old picture of me and a family friend that has been photoshopped into a picture of me and public enemy number one—JB Pritzker. You can’t make this stuff up; oh wait… I guess you can! These untruthful mailers are sad, but fortunately they’re so blatantly bad it is comical. Nonetheless, without any further ado, here is FACT CHECK #3:
- Claim #1: I “share the same insider circles” as JB Pritzker and Mike Madigan
- Fact #1: It is an absurd statement to make. I have never hung out with them, I don’t have any friends who have hung out with them, I don’t know what shows they watch; frankly, sometimes I don’t know what planet they live on. I would recognize them if I saw them because they ransacked our state, but that’s about it. I don’t know how else to refute it, except to point out that I live by Kickapoo. This may shock you, but I don’t think Pritzker and Madigan are regulars at the Jubilee Café.
- Claim #2: I’m “not a Republican”
- Fact #2: I’ve been a Republican my entire life, I was raised by two Republican parents and four grandparents who flipped between Rush Limbaugh and the Chicago Cubs on the radio. I have never voted for, aligned with, donated to, or supported a Democrat in my life. In the words of Mike Pence, “I’m a Christian, Conservative, Republican, in that order”
State Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, faces a challenge in the Republican primary from Kent Gray, a candidate with more baggage than Samsonite. […]
Gray, 52, is a Springfield-area lawyer who had his law license suspended for one year, beginning in December 2018. He owes back property taxes for his Leland Grove home. And by his own admission, he’s behind on child-support payments for his two children.
“The Illinois General Assembly already has enough ethical challenges without electing someone like this,” Butler said of his opponent.
Gray said the Sangamon County Republican Party establishment hates Donald Trump and consequently is opposed to him because he supports the 45th president and once managed his Illinois campaign. He added that his opponent is a “Never Trumper.”
“Day One” a 30-second ad has begun to run on broadcast and cable television. The ad will also reach voters on digital channels, and features Alderman Pat Dowell, saying in her own words that she will be ready on Day One to represent the 1st Congressional District. The ad will run through Election Day.
“My goal as a public servant has always been to listen and speak directly with the people I represent. As Alderman and Chair of the Budget Committee in City Council, I have been able to pass legislation and work across the aisle to get results. I am ready to begin work on Day One in Congress,” said Ald. Pat Dowell, candidate for the Democratic nomination for Illinois’ 1st Congressional District.
The ads can be viewed at:
TV
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xth7hun61emdy6y/PatDowell_01DayOne.mov?dl=0
Digital
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7eou87l88o0hnes/PatDowell_01DayOne.mp4?dl=
“Day One”
Alderman Pat Dowell:
I got my start with Mayor Harold Washington.
As an alderman, I’ve delivered resources that have transformed neighborhoods into thriving areas of growth and opportunity.
Now we need a voice in congress to deliver on the issues that matter.
Protecting our votes;
Stopping gun violence;
Making it easier to afford gas and groceries.
I’m Democrat Pat Dowell. I approve this message because on day one, I’m ready to get the job done for you.
* Also from Dowell…
National Organization for Women Political Action Committee has endorsed Pat Dowell for Democratic Nomination for Congress in the First District of Illinois.
“The National Organization for Women has been the voice for women for generations, and I am incredibly proud to receive this endorsement. I will continue standing with NOW to fight for a women’s right to choose, pay equity, and equal rights. If elected, I will be the first woman to represent the 1st Congressional District; I am ready for that responsibility,” said Ald. Pat Dowell, candidate for the Democratic nomination for Illinois’ 1st Congressional District.
…Adding… Press release…
As part of a multi-stop tour of Chicago, Senator Bernie Sanders will host a rally at the Humboldt Park Boathouse for Northwest side progressives. The event is aimed at encouraging Chicagoans to take advantage of early voting, which commenced on June 13th.
Senator Sanders has endorsed progressive Delia Ramirez in her run for U.S Congress in the newly re-drawn 3rd District, which covers Humboldt Park as well as Logan Square, Belmont-Cragin, and several northwest suburbs. Ramirez is a lifelong Chicagoan and daughter of Guatemalan immigrants who has served as 4th District State Rep in the Illinois General Assembly since 2018.
WHO: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, State Rep. Delia Ramirez, Congressman Chuy Garcia, Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates, Jonathan Jackson Candidate for IL-01, Senator Omar Aquino, Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas, Senator Karina Villa, Senator Robert Peters, State Representative Will Guzzardi, 4th District Illinois House candidate Lilian Jimenez, 8th District Cook County Commissioner candidate Anthony Quezada, 35th Ward Alderman Carlos Ramirez Rosa, 33rd Ward Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez.
* More…
* Illinois Republican primary for attorney general: Tom Devore against Steve Kim and David Shestokas: Crackdowns on crime, corruption and COVID-19 restrictions — with some unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud for good measure.The three men vying for the Republican nomination for Illinois attorney general have all the major conservative hot-button issues pressed down as they duke it out for a challenge to Democrat Kwame Raoul, who is wrapping up his first term as the state’s chief legal officer.
* Karl Rove: Why Democrats Are Funding the GOP Fringe
* Rob Martwick and Erin Jones square off in negative campaign mailers in race for 10th Senate District seat: Jones has said that she became politically engaged about 5 years ago when she was one of dozens of city workers who former alderman John Arena (45th) filed a police accountability complaint against because of “racially charged” comments she allegedly made on social media about a controversial mixed-income housing project at 5150 N. Northwest Hwy. … Jones’ campaign is being supported by the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7, and she has been endorsed by Alderman Anthony Napolitano (41st) and County Clerk of the Circuit Clerk Iris Martinez.
* ‘Save America Rally’ reserves Adams County Fairgrounds for June event: A contract to reserve the Adams County Fairgrounds June 24 to 26 has been signed by a renting organization named “Save America Rally,” fairground officials confirmed Tuesday. Save America likely is a reference to the leadership PAC established in November 2020 by former President Donald Trump, who previously stated he would be open to traveling to Illinois to support the campaign of U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Oakland.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.6 percent, while nonfarm payrolls increased by +12,800 in May, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and released by IDES. The April monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +9,300 to +6,400 jobs. The April unemployment rate was unchanged from the preliminary report, remaining at 4.6 percent. The May payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflect activity for the week including the 12th.
In May, the industry sectors with the largest over-the-month gains in employment were: Leisure and Hospitality (+6,000), Educational and Health Services (+3,300) and Construction (+2,600). The industry sectors that reported monthly payroll declines were: Trade, Transportation and Utilities (-800), Other Services (-800) and Mining (-100).
“We’re pleased to see the continuation of Illinois’ economic growth,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “The Pritzker Administration, alongside IDES and local partners, continues to work toward a stronger and more sustainable workforce system. We encourage job seekers and businesses across the state to visit Get Hired Illinois or IllinoisJobLink.com for today’s latest resources.”
“Over the past year, Illinois has made long-term sustainable progress in adding jobs and lowering unemployment since the state fully re-opened in June 2021,” said DCEO Director Sylvia I. Garcia. “We’re encouraged to see gains in the leisure and hospitality, construction and education sectors and continue to support our workforce through training and programs for job seekers.”
The state’s unemployment rate was +1.0 percentage points higher than the national unemployment rate reported for May, which was 3.6 percent, unchanged from the previous month. The Illinois unemployment rate was down -1.9 percentage points from a year ago when it was at 6.5 percent.
Compared to a year ago, nonfarm payroll employment increased by +249,700 jobs, with gains across nearly all major industries. The industry groups with the largest jobs increases were: Leisure and Hospitality (+84,600), Professional and Business Services (+43,500), and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+41,900). The Mining sector (-300) was the only industry sector that reported an over-the-year decline in payroll employment. In May, total nonfarm payrolls were up +4.3 percent over-the-year in Illinois and up +4.5 percent in the nation.
The number of unemployed workers was up from the prior month, a +0.5 percent increase to 297,800 and was down -27.1 percent over the same month one year ago. The labor force was up +0.2 percent over-the-month and up +2.5 percent over-the-year. The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and seeking employment. An individual who exhausts or is ineligible for benefits is still reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work.
* From the Chicago Area Aggregate Producers Association, which has just three very large corporate members…
On June 7, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 began a strike against three companies that make up the Chicago Area Aggregate Producers Association: Vulcan Materials, Lehigh Hanson and Lafarge.
As the strike continues, it is important for union members, customers, stakeholders and the public to know the facts. Below is a statement from CAAPA to set the record straight:
“It is unfortunate that Local 150 decided to strike and that union leaders have been providing misleading information about the situation.
We reached out to Local 150 on March 1 to begin contract negotiations and were in contact with the union throughout the spring. Local 150 did not agree to sit down for talks until after the contract expired on April 30 and almost immediately decided to strike. Local 150 still has not presented a wage and benefit proposal despite multiple requests.
Local 150 has made unfounded claims regarding safety issues and using unskilled replacement workers. These allegations are simply not true. Our trained and experienced management employees are working to support our customers to minimize disruption to their businesses.
The strike not only jeopardizes essential infrastructure needs that impact roads, bridges and flood-prevention projects, it also increases costs for taxpayers during this shortened construction season.
We remain committed to finding a path forward that is mutually beneficial, and we are hopeful our continued negotiations at the bargaining table bring our employees back to work soon.”
* Meanwhile, here’s a press release issued Tuesday…
This morning, leaders from the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police and Chicago Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 issued statements in support of the striking members of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 150.
More than 300 IUOE Local 150 members went on strike on June 7th against construction material producer companies Lehigh Hanson, Vulcan Materials, and Lafarge Holcim in protest of unfair labor practice charges filed with the National Labor Relations Board.
“Hard working men and women deserve to be treated with dignity at work,” said Illinois FOP President Chris Southwood. “We stand in solidarity with the striking members of IUOE Local 150 and call on these companies to prioritize these workers’ health, safety, and rights on the job.”
“The officers of the Chicago FOP stand with Local 150 members as they exercise their right to peacefully strike in the wake of their employers’ alleged unfair labor practices,” said Chicago Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 President John Catanzara. “The men and women of the FOP understand the power of collective action to bring progress on the job and call upon these employers to negotiate in good faith and work with the union to reach a resolution that is fair and equitable for their workers.”
The Illinois FOP is the second largest State Lodge, proudly representing over 33,000 active duty and retired police officers – more than 10 percent of all FOP members nationwide. The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 represents officers of the Chicago Police Department.
* The day before that Tuesday press released was issued, the Chicago Land Operators Joint Labor Management PAC, which is heavily influenced by Local 150, put $10K into the United Working Taxpayers PAC. That committee had previously been funded solely by the Chicago FOP and, as subscribers know, had sent out a negative mailer against a couple of Democratic state legislators that 150 supports, but the FOP opposes…
The FOP is a PAC, just like this PAC Casper setup. They could have sent the mailers. Why all the runaround?
The FOP knows Dems reading a negative mailer from the MAGA FOP isn't going to land with a lot of voters. But "United Working Taxpayers"? That has a veneer of legitimacy.
— The People's Fabric (@peoplesfabric) June 9, 2022
It also allows the Chicago FOP to get around the contribution caps since the group was nearly at that cap for Chicago police detective and Republican activist Erin Jones, who’s running against Sen. Rob Martwick (D-Chicago) in the Democratic primary.
The United Working Taxpayers PAC has not yet disclosed spending that money, but it recently disclosed spending cash in a bevy of races, including for Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Iris Martinez’s state central committee contest and on behalf of Carmen Navarro, who has since been removed from the ballot for county sheriff. Those are/were both Chicago FOP peeps. The FOP/Operators-funded PAC has also reported spending $19K against state Rep. Delia Ramirez in her congressional primary against Ald. Gil Villegas.
This story gets even more complicated, but I’m going to wait for a bit on that.
…Adding… Ed Maher from Local 150…
Hi Rich,
The contribution to UWT was made in support of Election Day activities for candidates that we’ve endorsed. Nothing more to it than that.
Police have often voiced support for Local 150 and other unions during strikes. Employers will frequently call police on striking workers or union representatives on picket lines, but we are extremely thorough in educating our members and staff on laws that apply to picketing in order to ensure that all picket lines and strike activity are conducted peacefully and in accordance with applicable laws.
Two Illinois Republican gubernatorial hopefuls visited the Quad Cities area on Wednesday, making another pitch to voters ahead of the June 28 primary election. […]
Both candidates believe, however, Gov. J.B. Pritzker is trying to influence the Republican primary election with recent advertising.
“For a Republican to win as governor of the state of Illinois, that Republican’s going to need Republican support, independent support, and democratic crossover support. J.B. Pritzker knows I’ll be able to get all those,” Irvin said.
“I think it’s obvious Governor Pritzker thinks I’m the easiest candidate to beat and my message to Governor Pritzker is be careful what you wish for because it’s coming right toward ya,” Bailey said. “So, the people of Illinois are absolutely fed up with the state of our state. They’re ready for something different.”
Discuss.
…Adding… The Bailey campaign’s spokesperson texted me this afternoon to say Bailey’s comments were “cut off” by the paper, but didn’t respond when I asked what else Bailey said.
As one top business insider who knows the company puts it, in a cultural sense, conservative business CEOs feel more comfortable now in Texas or Florida than they do in liberal Illinois. That means they’ll split if they have an excuse to go.
That’s the case with Citadel. Its boss, Ken Griffin, is most definitely on the conservative side. I hear he refers to Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker as “a Bolshevik.” But his real issue lately is Chicago street crime and violence, which has made his staff and clients feel uncomfortable and made it more difficult to lure the talent that is critical to Citadel’s future.
So, he has an excuse. And speculation is rising that if the Griffin-staked Richard Irvin goes down in flames in the June 28 GOP gubernatorial primary, as appears increasingly likely, Griffin will simply pull the plug.
* The Question: Do you think Ken Griffin will leave Illinois if Richard Irvin loses the primary/general? Make sure to explain your answer, but insults and huzzahs will be deleted. Stick to the question.
There’s the truth, and then there’s the whole truth.
Abdelnasser Rashid is attacking Mike Zalewski for being too close to former Speaker Madigan. The Whole Truth? Rashid took $50,000 from Madigan. That’s a lot of money.
And here’s the rest: Rashid’s now funded by an insider who bankrolls right-wing politicians determined to deprive women of their right to choose and attack common sense gun laws. He doesn’t even live in the district. The Sun-Times has called Rashid, disappointing and out of touch. And now you know why.
But Othman also has a long history of contributing to Democrats and has mostly contributed to Democrats for nearly the past 20 years, including to the campaigns of former President Barack Obama, Sen. Dick Durbin, and congressional representatives Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Sean Casten, Marie Newman and a host of other Democrats.
Othman told the Landmark that he grew up in a Republican household and used to be a Republican, but that changed about 20 years ago.
“I did switch from being a Republican to a Democrat, because the Republican Party over the last 20 some years has pulled to the right so far that they’re over the cliff now,” Othman said.
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, a Zalewski slams an opponent over ties to Madigan. Wow.
* Click the pic, which was taken at a Darren Bailey bus tour event, and you’ll see the signs are paid for by both Mary Miller’s and Bailey’s campaigns…
The signs are also out in the wild, I’m told.
Man, if Bailey doesn’t get this Trump endorsement in Quincy later this month, a whole lot of folks are going to be bummed out, and not just among his faithful followers, if you catch the drift.
But if he does get it, the coverage will likely drown out everything else until primary day.
* Meanwhile, from the DGA…
Ultra-Conservative Darren Bailey Becomes Clear Front-Runner in GOP Race for Illinois Governor
With less than two weeks until the primary, far-right extremist Darren Bailey has broken into a commanding lead, becoming the clear front-runner in the Republican race for Illinois governor.
Today, a new independent poll showed Bailey up by a whopping 18 points — the fourth poll to show him leading the pack in the past couple of weeks. Add that to last night’s endorsement from uber-conservative Congresswoman Mary Miller and former Trump advisor Steve Cortes’ company on the campaign trail, and Bailey seems to be clearing a path to the nomination.
Meanwhile, Richard Irvin — best known for dodged questions, corrupt pay-to-play deals, and half-truths — has flailed for weeks, but these lagging numbers may be the final nail in the coffin. With the primary just days away, Irvin’s praying for a miracle to even come close to making up Bailey’s huge lead.
“The numbers don’t lie. With just days to go until the primary, ultra-conservative Darren Bailey is clearly the front-runner in the race for governor — and his lead is only growing,” said DGA Illinois Press Secretary Yael Sheinfeld. “A Governor Darren Bailey is a danger to Illinoisans everywhere. With his far-right extremist stances on everything from abortion to guns to COVID, Darren Bailey is far too conservative for our state.”
* Since we last discussed this topic, Gov. Pritzker has contributed $55,000 to Avon Township Democratic Chair Hal Sloan’s campaign for state central committee. Tom Maillard is the incumbent, but despite receiving several endorsements, he has reported raising almost no money.
And then this hit the mailboxes today…
Former Senate President Cullerton voted with Pritzker on the DPI chair election, accurately predicting that the state party would face some big legal hurdles to raise and spend non-federal campaign funds if Robin Kelly won. Cullerton is running against Sen. Rob Martwick (D-Chicago), and Martwick wasn’t surprised with the endorsement.
Also, Martwick and Pritzker have tangled a bit on MWRD candidate Daniel Pogorzelski. “Pogo” was endorsed by the county party and he’s close to Martwick. Pritzker is going up against the party in that race and is backing former staffer Chakena Perry, who was appointed to the MWRD.
That makes seven public endorsements so far in contested races. The others are here.
*** UPDATE 1 *** The governor has contributed another $500,000 to the Democratic Party of Illinois. He also gave $15,000 to Karen Yarbrough, who’s running unopposed for both state central committee and for county clerk. He also contributed $5,000 to Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Rep. Gordon Booth, a strong Pritzker ally at the Statehouse, is running against two other Democrats in this open-seat contest, Pam Davidson (who has also sent a mailer) and Linda McNeely…
*** UPDATE 3 *** Rep. Maurice West (D-Rockford) just confirmed that he was endorsed by Gov. Pritzker. West is running against Virgil Mayberry in the 17th District.
After spending almost $50K last month for mailers attacking 2nd District Supreme Court Republican candidate Mark Curran, it has now disclosed spending $171K for another GOP candidate in the race, Daniel Shanes, the Chief Deputy Judge of the Lake County Circuit Court and former prosecutor. He has a huge endorsement list ranging from former US Attorney Fred Foreman, to Senate GOP Leader Dan McConchie, to Rep. Mark Batinick, to the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, to Jeanne Ives.
* I think the reference in this Gary Rabine press release is to a somewhat recent Fox News interview where Bailey said he was in favor of leaving this sort of thing up to local school districts rather than dictating from on high. But he’s also said things in the other direction. Anyway, here’s Rabine…
Illinois GOP candidate Darren Bailey says it’s okay for local school districts to adopt woke, far-left sex-ed curriculum in preschool. In doing so, Darren the Cowardly Lion capitulated to the far left. We need a governor who leads on these issues and doesn’t defer to the woke police. The primary function of any governor is to protect its citizens. As your governor, I will begin by protecting our children.
I’ve asked for an explanation. They’re not too fast over there, though.
* DGA…
If Darren Bailey’s stance as the single most conservative candidate for governor was ever in question, this week’s happenings on the campaign trail undoubtedly sealed the deal. After endorsing the far-right extremist on Steve Bannon’s podcast last month, former Trump advisor and self-proclaimed “American nationalist” Steve Cortes this week joined Bailey downstate for his bus tour.
At a campaign stop yesterday, Cortes revealed the details of a recent conversation where he told Trump that “Illinois absolutely is in play” and threw his support behind Illinois Republicans: “This is a wave election year, and we are going to send Mary Miller back to Washington DC and we’re going to put Darren Bailey in the governor’s office in Springfield.”
There’s no doubt that the far-rights of the far-right think Bailey is the true conservative for Illinois.
Meanwhile, there’s growing likelihood that Trump will endorse Bailey in a potential visit to the Prairie State — especially given new polls showing Bailey solidly leading the pack ahead of the primary. It’s an endorsement Bailey’s been vying for since meeting with the former president in Mar-a-Lago, and a show of support that would only widen Bailey’s significant lead.
“With Cortes’ resounding support and an endorsement from Trump himself at play, far-right extremist Darren Bailey’s leaving no room for doubt. He is, without question, the single uber-conservative candidate for governor,” said DGA Illinois Press Secretary Yael Sheinfeld. “Voters know the truth: Darren Bailey is too conservative for Illinois.”
Mary Miller’s false, negative TV ad against Rodney Davis has been rated “completely false and misleading” by a local news outlet. This is the same TV ad that landed Miller an ethics investigation for misuse of official resources for campaign purposes, a clear violation of House rules.
“Mary Miller can’t run on her own terrible record so she has to lie about Rodney Davis’ record. The truth is Rodney is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and just voted No on the Democrats’ gun control legislation in the House. He’s a proud gun owner and NRA member and has been endorsed by the NRA in previous elections. Miller’s own record is having a child sex predator serving as her personal campaign driver, being repeatedly fined for chronic late payment of taxes, and teaming up with the Socialist Squad to defund our military. She should be ashamed of her lies and record.” - Aaron DeGroot, Davis campaign spokesperson
You can read or watch the news clip by clicking here
House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, alongside Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara and former Chicago Police Department Officer Robert Mizera, criticized Gov. J.B. Pritzker at a Tuesday news conference for his handling of the Prisoner Review Board.
Mizera, a former CPD officer, was shot and injured by Kensley Hawkins in 1980. Hawkins later would be convicted of the murder of a 65-year-old man and was sentenced to almost 100 years in prison.
He is now out of prison after being commuted by Pritzker and his appointed Illinois Prisoner Review Board.
“Mr. Hawkins was zealously represented by Department Counsel Lisa Schoedel at Jenner & Block, as part of [Illinois Prison Project’s] pro bono program,” an April 28 statement from Jenner & Block said. “Ms. Schoedel’s commitment and dedication to Mr. Hawkins and his case paid off: Last week, she received a call from the Illinois Governor’s Office, telling her that Mr. Hawkins would be coming home.”
Mizera said he learned of his attacker’s release via an email and has had no further discussion with Pritzker or his administration about the decision.
“On April 22nd, 2021, I was informed by email that Mr. Hawkins had been released from prison with no reason given,” Mizera said at Tuesday’s news conference. “The governor did not call me, he did not ask me what I thought and he probably did not care, so that’s my dealing with Governor Pritzker and his release of people who obviously should still be in prison.”
Catanzara asked the residents of Illinois to think about what would happen to them in this situation.
“If an officer cannot get justice, and their families cannot get justice, what does the average person think is going to happen to the monsters that murder their loved ones?” Catanzara said.
Durkin, R-Western Springs, called the clemency a sign of disrespect to law enforcement.
“Today I am here to talk about Governor Pritzker’s continuing lack of respect and continuing attack on our police officers, those currently on the force and those who have already served, and the victims of crime in this state,” Durkin said.
Pritzker has granted clemency to more than 20 individuals previously convicted of crimes since taking office.
I emailed Durkin’s spokesperson to ask if Hawkins had been arrested since his release more than a year ago. No reply.
* From the governor’s office…
The leader of the Republican Party standing with a racist zealot spewing lie after lie while using racist language like “savages” is unfortunately the new norm. If Leader Durkin truly cared about making our state a safer place to live, he would have voted to provide funding for more Illinois State Troopers, to build and staff a new crime lab to process evidence, and expand violence interruption programs. While Leader Durkin continues to lie about what the criminal justice reform bill does, advocates for survivors who worked on the law say “it increases safety for survivors.” Gov. Pritzker is focused on solutions, not tired talking points.
BACKGROUND
Kensley Hawkins spent 40 years in prison after being convicted of attempted murder based on the conduct of his co-defendant under the theory of accountability. He was 70 years old with a number of health conditions at the time he was granted parole.
• “That’s not what we consider advocating for survivors, nor is the tendency of some law enforcement officials to use survivors as an excuse to justify total opposition to reform, all the while ignoring the lived experiences that informed these structural changes.
Contrary to the false arguments advanced by opponents, the new pretrial system will not simply release every person arrested for a crime. For example, it will ensure people held for forcible felonies, including domestic or sexual violence, are kept for up to 48 hours. It will give the state time to gather information about whether someone poses a threat to others. It is a welcome reform to the current practice of releasing people who can pay the bond with minimal regard for the threat they may pose to survivors.”
— The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence (@CMBWNTheNetwork) January 20, 2022
The end of sexual harm includes the end of oppressive practices in the criminal legal system. As survivors and allies who advocate for victims' rights, CAASE wholeheartedly supports the PFA and will fight for its implementation. #EndMoneyBail#DefendPFAhttps://t.co/U2wMXbJAtM
— Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (@TheCAASE) January 20, 2022
Who is John Catanzara?
• According to the Citizens Police Data Project, he has been the subject of 50 allegations — more than 96% of Chicago police officers.
• Once suspended for 30 days following an investigation into allegations of domestic abuse in 2003.
• Reprimanded following an investigation into an allegation of excessive force in 2003.
• Suspended for six days following an investigation into allegations of conduct unbecoming an officer by associating with a felon while off-duty in 2003.
• Suspended for 20 days following an investigation into allegations of conduct unbecoming by associating with a felon while off-duty in 2004.
• Suspended for 10 days for insubordination in 2005.
• Suspended for 15 days following an investigation into an allegation of a personnel violation at an Old Town tavern in 2007.
• Suspended for 20 days after the Chicago Police Board found him guilty of violating department rules by working as a private security guard while on medical leave for a back injury in 2008. Supt. Garry McCarthy had sought to fire him.
• According to the Chicago Tribune, then-Police Supt. Jody Weis sought to fire Catanzara in 2008, accusing him of failing to follow orders to complete a psychological exam, but the Chicago Police Board cleared Catanzara of wrongdoing.
• Suspended for 10 days following an investigation into miscellaneous personnel violations in 2013.
There is a provision in [the SAFE-T Act] which for the first time is going to allow a defendant, a defendant to be able to compel the victim of crime to appear at a detention hearing starting January 1. … We have a responsibility to protect victims, not to feed them to the savages, is what JB Pritzker and the Democrats have done under this legislation.
…Adding… From a contemporaneous news report…
* And a debunking of Durkin’s actual claim…
At a press conference today, opponents to the #PretrialFairnessAct used gender-based violence victims to make false and repeated claims. The fact is that the PFA makes it *harder* for defense attorneys to call victims to the witness stand in detention hearings. #twillpic.twitter.com/i8AMtaF10l
— Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (@TheCAASE) February 9, 2022
* Statement from the Illinois Prison Project…
The Illinois Prison Project represented Kensley Hawkins in his clemency petition alongside Jenner & Block through our pro bono program. It’s no surprise proponents of failed, carceral policies would rather resort to racist dog whistles and political grandstanding than engage with substantive, evidence-based solutions that actually make our communities safer.
Mr. Hawkins was released in April 2021, just six years short of his estimated release date, after having spent almost four decades behind bars. His medical conditions put him at an increased risk of death from COVID-19 at a time when the virus had already infected tens of thousands of people in Illinois prisons.
Mr. Hawkins was convicted under the controversial theory of accountability, a legal doctrine that allows for a person to be convicted of a crime they not only didn’t commit but also didn’t plan, agree, or intend to commit, and at which they were not even present.
* Gov. Pritzker was asked today whether he was running for president…
So it’s funny that you’re saying that, Mary Ann, because the truth is that I’m going to help other Democratic governors get elected in Massachusetts, in New Hampshire, in Maine, to help raise money, to help get the word out. These are pro-choice Democratic governors. It’s the most important thing that we’ve got to deal with across the country, that the Supreme Court is forcing us to deal with, and that is, they’re looking to overturn Roe v. Wade. The governors are the ones who are going to have power to make sure that we preserve reproductive rights for women and, broadly, rights that are going to be taken away as a result of their overturning of the right to privacy. So we need governors who are going to stand up for women, for the LGBTQ community, for all of us in our individual rights.
And when asked about the perception of visiting New Hampshire, Pritzker said this…
I can’t tell you anything other than I love the job that I have. It’s why I’m running for reelection as governor of our state. And I intend to continue to do a good job for the people of the state for the next four years.
Promises like those are often broken. Darren Bailey once ruled out a run for governor.
* But here’s the thing: Illinois and several other states are in the running to be the first in a revamped primary system. Here’s Lynn Sweet…
WHAT IS CHANGING: The DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee passed an April resolution calling for a diverse nominating process that “contributes to a fair and sound electoral process” and helps Democrats win the White House. The DNC also made clear it prefers the more straightforward primary balloting.
THE COMPETITION: The DNC contemplates the first four primaries to be in four regions. Illinois is competing for the Midwest slot against bids filed by Friday from state Democratic parties in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska and Oklahoma. […]
Illinois Democrats need to make the first cut and be invited to make a presentation to the Rules and Bylaws meeting June 22-24 in Washington. The committee votes in August. The full DNC will approve a new nominating calendar in September.
To inaugurate the newly-established Milwaukee Avenue Polish Heritage Corridor, state Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Chicago, and state Sen. Cristina Pacione-Zayas, D-Chicago, are holding a press conference on Thursday, June 16 at 2 p.m. at the Polish Museum of America, 984 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. Ramirez will also be joined by Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, Sen. Robert F. Martwick and representatives of the Polish-American Chamber of Commerce.
Ramirez passed House Bill 5581 creating the new Heritage Corridor, and the bill was signed into law last week.
* Governor’s office…
Gov. JB Pritzker today signed into law legislation allowing for the implementation of design-build project delivery, an efficient, alternative method for completing the state’s infrastructure improvements.
Senate Bill 2981 creates the Innovations for Transportation Infrastructure Act, authorizing the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Illinois Tollway Authority to adopt the use of the design-build delivery method on highway construction projects. IDOT currently utilizes the design-bid-build project delivery method in which the department designs a construction plan, then reviews bids from contractors. Design-build would create a more efficient process, allowing a single contractor to handle both design and construction of the project. Any projects that adopt this method would be capped at a combined total of $400 million.
“Illinoisans deserve modernized infrastructure on a timely basis,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “A design-build delivery method won’t just save taxpayers money—it will streamline our construction process and deliver the infrastructure improvements that our state requires. With this legislation, our Rebuild Illinois investment plan will be expedited in a time-efficient, cost-effective, and equity-based manner. I am proud to sign this bipartisan bill into law thanks to our legislative partners’ foresight and advocacy.”
“Streamlining the implementation of infrastructure projects will save taxpayer dollars and rebuild our roads, bridges and mass transit systems in a transparent and equitable manner,” said State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago). “Finding alternative ways to deliver on the Rebuild Illinois capital plan remains a top priority for me as chair of the Senate Transportation Committee.”
“Flexibility makes for more effective and responsive solutions,” said State Representative Marcus C. Evans, Jr. “This new law will allow bidders and contractors to be more agile and adaptable in response to public needs, and for transportation agencies to ensure that bureaucratic red tape doesn’t interfere with our pursuit of the best solutions on behalf of all Illinoisans.”
“This innovative approach to designing and building our state’s infrastructure will save time and money, and that’s a win-win for the taxpayers of Illinois,” said State Senator Donald DeWitte (R-St. Charles), Chief Co-Sponsor of the legislation and Minority Spokesperson of the Senate Transportation Committee. “We’re streamlining processes, maximizing efficiencies, and fostering a collaborative approach from start to finish. I am proud to be the leading Republican sponsor of this bipartisan legislation.”
“We thank Gov. Pritzker and the General Assembly for coming through to approve these new methods of project of delivery at IDOT, something that’s been long overdue in Illinois, the transportation hub of North America and a state rich with infrastructure,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “These give us more tools in the toolbox to make sure we are delivering the governor’s historic Rebuild Illinois capital program to the public as efficiently and effectively as possible.”
“This law will give Illinois a proven best practice that will help deliver transportation projects more quickly and efficiently, saving money and getting people and goods where they need to go sooner,” said Kelly Welsh, President, Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago. “I want to thank Governor Pritzker, Transportation Committee Chairman Ram Villivalam, the leadership of organized labor, and the construction and engineering industry for their hard work and partnership in bringing this innovation to our state transportation program.”
“Illinois is on its way to joining the many other states both nationwide and in the Midwest that have already authorized design-build to deliver infrastructure projects,” said Mary Tyler, AICP, Transportation Director, Illinois Economic Policy Institute. “Design-build has become the industry-standard, and research shows it delivers projects more quickly and promotes cost savings. Illinois will now be equipped with a more streamlined and efficient process to tackle large, complex infrastructure projects that are vital to the state’s transportation systems.”
“Equal access in the built industry for minority owned firms in a meaningful and sustained manner must be the highest priority today,” said Rev. Larry S. Bullock, MPA, President/CEO, USMCA. “Members of the US Minority Contractors Association [USMCA], headquartered here in Illinois, enthusiastically support this new and innovative design-build law and Governor Pritzker’s affirmative action taken today as he once again gives genuine support to diversity, equity and inclusion in the state of Illinois.”
“Providing IDOT and the Tollway the authority to utilize alternative delivery methods like design-build will responsibly expedite construction projects, with the goal of producing more jobs for Illinois workers and shorter construction times for Illinois commuters and businesses,” said Kevin Artl, President and CEO of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois. “ACEC-IL and its members are proud to have championed SB2891 and applaud the General Assembly and Governor Pritzker for their great work on this legislation.”
The Innovations for Transportation Infrastructure Act also authorizes IDOT and the Tollway to use the construction manager-general contractor delivery method on at most two projects per year. In adopting this method, the department would contract with a single contractor to serve as the construction manager for the design phase, then agree on a price to serve as general contractor for construction.
Additionally, the act requires IDOT and the Tollway to ensure full participation for minority and women-owned businesses by implementing separate goals for design and construction, bid-shopping protections, and requiring independent construction managers for projects costing over $30 million.
The adoption of the design-build method will serve as a method of streamlining the implementation of Governor Pritzker’s landmark, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois infrastructure investment plan. Passed in 2019, Rebuild Illinois is investing a total of $33.2 billion over six years into the state’s aging transportation system, creating jobs and promoting economic growth.
Rebuild Illinois is not only the largest capital program in state history, but also the first that touches all modes of transportation: roads and bridges, transit, waterways, freight and passenger rail, aviation, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. The plan’s implementation has led to a complete revitalization of infrastructure in Illinois.
* Governor’s office…
Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation into law requiring insurance and managed health plans provide coverage for continuous glucose monitors, an essential tool for diabetes care. SB2969 expands safe and affordable treatment options for thousands of Illinoisans. Continuous glucose monitors are essential devices for patients with both Type I and Type II diabetes to maintain safe blood sugar levels and prevent the need for emergency medical care. The bill was signed at Lurie Children’s Hospital, a major endocrinology center that treats thousands of diabetic patients each year.
“No one—regardless of their socioeconomic status or insurance coverage—should go without the care they require,” said Governor Pritzker. “But for too long, diabetics have had to make the impossible choice between obtaining this necessary medical equipment or putting food on the table. That is an unacceptable burden to ask diabetics to bear, and this legislation will ensure insurance companies support these essential devices and those that use them”
More than 1.3 million Illinoisans suffer from diabetes. Continuous glucose monitors track blood sugar throughout the day, allowing up-to-the-minute data for patients to use when assessing diet or the need for insulin. Although diabetes is a manageable disease, the tools to monitor and control the disease are essential for that management to be successful. Failure to treat elevated or decreased blood sugar levels can result in serious illness for patients, often requiring expensive emergency care and hospitalization.
Diabetes disproportionately affects minority and low-income communities, further exacerbating the equity gap caused by high-cost monitoring devices. CDC data shows Black, Hispanic, and Native American Illinoisans are all at a higher risk of getting diabetes. This legislation ensures the most at-risk Illinoisans cannot be denied coverage that is desperately needed to stay healthy and prevent further medical complications.
Governor Pritzker has codified several other insurance expansions into law during his time in office to expand access to necessary healthcare that has been neglected or gone uncovered by insurance providers in the past. Legislation signed by the Governor has required insurance coverage for prostate cancer and breast cancer screenings, naloxone, prophylactic AIDS medicine, over-the-counter birth control, and more. Governor Pritzker also signed an executive order during the COVID-19 pandemic requiring telehealth be covered at the same rate as in-person care, codifying that protection into law in 2021.
“This is a development in science that should be available to help people better regulate their diabetes,” said State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “Glucose monitoring systems should be covered the same as other medical equipment. Today we are taking a positive toward making these devices more accessible.”
“No one should have to worry about how they will access quality healthcare or the medicine they need to be well,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “By signing this legislation, Illinois honors its promise of putting resources and policies in place that benefit the health and welfare of residents throughout the state.”
“No person with diabetes should have to worry about being able to afford monitoring their blood sugar,” said State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago). “Diabetes patients should not be treated differently than anyone else. We need to be doing all that we can to ensure that we are providing affordable health care to all.”
“One of the first doors I knocked on when I first ran for this role was answered by a 20 year old with type 1 diabetes,” said State Rep. Suzanne Ness (D-Crystal Lake). “His number one priority was the cost of healthcare as this was going to affect him his whole life. While IL has capped the cost of insulin, it is only right that we include and make more affordable, life changing devices that improve a person’s quality of life. SB2969 does just that.”
“The signing of SB 2969 is another example of Illinois leading the fight for those in our communities who need it the most,” said State Rep. Kambium Buckner (D-Chicago). “Glucose monitors provide users with important information about their blood sugar levels and can literally be the difference between life and death. Removing barriers like this brings us closer to our goal of complete healthcare equity that serves all of the people of Illinois.”
“Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago commends Governor Pritzker, Senator Julie Morrison and Representative Suzanne Ness for passing and signing into law legislation that will improve access to Continuous Glucose Monitor devices for Illinois children and families afflicted with diabetes,” stated Dr. Naomi Fogel, Medical Director of the Diabetes Program at Lurie Children’s. “Children and families with access to Continuous Glucose Monitors have improved health outcomes, reducing their risk for Emergency Room visits, hospitalizations and future complications.”
“The American Diabetes Association applauds Senator Julie Morrison for sponsoring SB 2969 and Governor Pritzker for signing it into law today,” said Gary Dougherty, Director of State Government Affairs for the Association. “Advances in diabetes technology are changing lives. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) provides glucose readings every few minutes, allowing for improved monitoring and management of diabetes. By requiring state-regulated health plans to cover CGMs, even more people will have affordable access to this technology which can lower their risk for dangerous complications of diabetes.”
“On behalf of the Illinois Association of Area Agencies on Aging, we thank Governor Pritzker for signing Senate Bill 2969. This legislation will help more older adults and their caregivers to access real-time glucose data monitoring to better manage their diabetes and reduce unnecessary hospitalizations. We would also like to thank Senator Morrison and Representative Ness for their leadership on this issue that will improve the health of seniors and all Illinoisans,” said Marla Fronczak, President of the Illinois Association of Area Agencies on Aging
“This important new law will help people suffering from diabetes stay healthy. We thank Governor Pritzker for signing this important law and Senator Julie Morrison and Representative Suzanne Ness for getting it through the General Assembly,” said Dr. Rodney Alford, President-Elect Illinois State Medical Society.
* Sen. Simmons…
To allow students in custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections the opportunity to continue to earn an education while serving their time, State Senator Mike Simmons passed a law to allow students to attend classes remotely.
“I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the Senate for supporting this legislation,” said Simmons (D-Chicago) This removes a systemic barrier for youth in custody who ought to be able to continue their education. We are giving them a better chance of finding employment and thriving when re-entering their communities”
Simmons’ law will create a pilot program to allow remote learning for students of Consuella B. York Alternative High School that are in the custody of the IDOC. If successful, the program could roll out in other alternative schools across Illinois. California currently has programs that allow inmates to work toward their Bachelor’s Degree. Research from the Cal Matters Organization show such programs have contributed to improving opportunities and lowering recidivism rates.
“This is a great step toward shoring up the gaps that exist in serving the needs of those who are incarcerated,” Simmons said. “Doing so will help buttress our overall efforts to lower recidivism rates and increase public safety.”
House Bill 5016 was signed into law and took immediate effect.
As COVID-19 transmission rates continue to rise across Illinois, with at least 32 counties reporting a “high community level,” the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Manteno is experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases among its veterans and staff. Based on robust rapid testing and the support of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) laboratories, in quick succession, we have identified 6 staff and 16 residents as positive for COVID-19. A small number of the positive residents are showing only mild symptoms, while the majority are experiencing no symptoms. All the residents who tested positive have been moved to the negative pressure isolation unit and are being closely monitored and cared for by dedicated Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) personnel. All the residents who have tested positive have received at least two doses of the vaccine and 15 are up to date with their boosters. A staff physician is assessing residents’ need for anti-viral post exposure medication. Sadly, one veteran, already under hospice care and completely asymptomatic, passed away early this morning–only hours after his booster shot and results of a COVID positive result.
Our top priority is the health and safety of our military veterans and the heroic staff who care for them. We take this very seriously. We are following recommendations from local health officials, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the IDPH to safeguard everyone at the facility. This includes continuing daily health screenings of our veterans, routine COVID-19 testing of staff and residents, use of N-95 respirator masks with protective face shields, maintaining social-distancing practices, using gloves and gowns, and intensified cleaning and disinfection protocols. During an outbreak, residents are encouraged to stay in their rooms to minimize movement within the facility. IDPH staff was on site, only hours after the tests came back positive, working to ensure the full protection, testing, and care of anyone potentially exposed.
Communal dining and activities have been curtailed in the home until the outbreak has ended. We are grateful to our team for remaining highly vigilant for signs or symptoms of COVID-19 and for responding swiftly, appropriately, and professionally to any potential cases. Activities and social services staff continue to develop leisure activities, in accordance with social distancing practices, to care for the psychosocial wellbeing of our veterans. Visitation is allowed to continue, per CDC guidelines however, families have been notified that we are in outbreak status and that rescheduling visitation should be considered.
Everyone seems so lax almost everywhere now, but people gotta get back to taking this virus a bit more seriously in nursing homes.
State Senator Rachelle Aud Crowe was recently confirmed by the United States Senate to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. Leading up to her swearing in, she released the following statement after resigning from the Illinois Senate Wednesday:
“Since joining the Senate in 2019, I’ve felt overwhelming support from my family, my colleagues in the General Assembly and the Metro East community—my heart is full of gratitude as I submit my resignation.
“I will cherish the partnerships and friendships that grew in my time in the Illinois Senate as we worked to advocate for change, update laws and improve our great state together. While serving the diverse communities of the 56th District was often challenging, I was overjoyed to see how we are united in our fight to enhance opportunities for families across the state.
“I am forever grateful to families of the 56th District for giving me the opportunity to serve, and I thank you all for your encouragement and thoughtfulness over the years. I love Illinois, and I look forward to continuing my work in public service in my new position.”
Senator Crowe submitted her formal resignation Wednesday, June 15 and was effective as of 10 a.m.
For a brief moment, the Senate’s membership included an actual fed. Weird times.
…Adding… Senate President Harmon…
Senate President Don Harmon issued a statement praising Crowe’s tenure in the Illinois Senate.
“Rachelle Crowe is a rising star who has been a strong voice for the people and communities she represented and the issues they care about. She will be a fantastic U.S. attorney, and I look forward to following her successful career,” Harmon said.
* Gov. Pritzker was asked about Caterpillar moving its corporate headquarters out of the suburbs and down to Texas. Man, is this ever a major downplay…
Well, if we’re talking about net jobs in the state, actually, Caterpillar has added jobs in our state. So it is true that they are moving 240 of their personnel, those are not manufacturing personnel, they’re office personnel, to another location. But they’ve added hundreds of other jobs to the state. We have more than 17,400 Caterpillar employees that are working in factories and assembly plants in our state. We’ve added many more jobs, in fact, hundreds of thousands of jobs since the worst parts of our pandemic have been added to our economy. So we’re gonna keep working at that. I’m proud of the work that’s been done to attract businesses to the state. We’ve had so many move in here. And of course, disappointed to see Caterpillar move that one office.
Of course businesses reopened after the worst of the pandemic and hired back hundreds of thousands of people, but Illinois’ unemployment rate continues to lag the rest of the country.
Also, Cat has been headquartered in this state for almost a hundred years. This ain’t some just-passing-through company like Boeing.
…Adding… Not to mention the loss of business to accountants, law firms and other headquarters vendors…
Just five of those Cat "office personnel" made over $28M in total compensation in 2021. If just those 5 relocate to Texas I think that's potentially over $1M in lost State income tax alone (admittedly very rough guess since lots of it is stock awards). https://t.co/ouTGRtB6KMhttps://t.co/ISqyQBQiWJ
Trafalgar Group adjusts its polls for a “social desirability bias” effect, the hypothesized tendency of some voters to calibrate their responses to polls towards what they believe the survey taker would like to hear. It does this by not only asking respondents how they plan to vote, but also how they think their neighbors might vote. Former Democratic Party strategist Ed Kilgore, in New York Magazine in July 2020, criticized Trafalgar’s approach, writing, “The Shy Trump Voter may not be entirely a myth, but they’re not numerous enough to fill a Trump rally, much less change an election result or rebut a poll.” Responding to criticism of Trafalgar’s polling methods and its lack of transparency about its methods, Cahaly said in November 2020, “I think we’ve developed something that’s very different from what other people do, and I really am not interested in telling people how we do it. Just judge us by whether we get it right.”
In presidential polling, Trafalgar Group only conducts state-level polls; according to Cahaly, “we don’t do national polls, and that’s for the same reason I don’t keep up with hits in a baseball game: It’s an irrelevant statistic”.
Before the 2020 election, FiveThirtyEight gave Trafalgar a grade of C−. As of April 2021, FiveThirtyEight gave Trafalgar a grade of A−.
According to The New York Times, there is almost no explanation of the Trafalgar Group’s methodology: “the methods page on Trafalgar’s website contains what reads like a vague advertisement of its services and explains that its polls actively confront social desirability bias, without giving specifics as to how.
VoteVets is out with a $430,000 new ad accusing Delia Ramirez of wanting to defund the police. It’s a reference to a letter she signed on to two years ago calling on Chicago to “defund the Chicago Police Department.” VoteVets supports Gil Villegas in the IL-03 Democratic primary.
When this horrific crime wave hit Chicago, Delia Ramirez’ answer? Defund the police immediately. Delia even voted to put people arrested for violent crimes back on our streets. We can’t trust Delia Ramirez to keep us safe.
Democrat Gil Villegas. As a union truck driver and aldermen, he’s been fighting for working families. In Congress, Gil make our communities safer with fewer illegal guns and more police on our streets. Gil Villegas. A lifetime of fighting for us.
The move is “in the best strategic interest of the company,” Chief Executive Jim Umpleby said in a statement. The heavy-machinery maker has had a presence in Texas since the 1960s, it said.
It’s not like Cat had a deep history in Deerfield. It was always intended to be a stopgap location instead of leaving straight out of Peoria.
Remember, Umpleby is the first CEO who didn’t come up through the Cat ranks, he was acquired from a subsidiary and never particularly liked living in Peoria in the first place.
If Pritzker thinks those manufacturing jobs are secure, he’s kidding himself. Moving a headquarters out of a state makes it easier to move factory jobs eventually; company bosses are insulated from the local fallout.
After Boeing moved to Chicago, it shifted manufacturing jobs from Seattle to South Carolina. Chicago could find itself on the wrong end of that equation this time. Caterpillar has been opening new plants in southern states, and recently moved the headquarters of one of its divisions to Texas. […]
Caterpillar’s comments on Texas were telling. The company told Bloomberg the move would improve access to talent and praised Dallas’ two airports.
That should puncture any complacency about Illinois’ assets. We pride ourselves on workforce talent and airport connections, among other things. Apparently they’re not as unique as we thought.
Yanez, 38, is a smart guy from Pilsen with some strong ideas and an independent streak that will make sense for those who find Villanueva too far to the left. “I’m not going to be tied to the mainstream machine mentality that has stalled out progress,” he told us, arguing that his opponent has precisely those kinds of ties. “I don’t do deals with tainted politicians,” he said. “And nothing can be achieved without first addressing corruption.”
Villanueva is a mainstream machine Democrat? And Yanez is a moderate? Man, did they ever get snowed. Maybe that comes from not doing any actual legislative candidate interviews.
